bharata natya

noun

bhar·​a·​ta na·​tya

¦bər-ə-tə-ˈnä-tyə

variants or bharata natyam

¦bər-ə-tə-ˈnä-tyəm

: a traditional Indian dance formerly exclusively performed by devadasis compare kathak, kathakali, manipuri

Word History

Etymology

Sanskrit bharatanāṭya, literally, Bharata's dancing, from Bharata, a sage reputed to be the author of the Natyashastra, a manual of dramatic art + -nāṭya dramatic art, dancing

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!