Disco
/ˈdɪskoʊ/
nounB1
Definition
Disco means a kind of music with a strong, steady beat that makes people want to dance. It also means a place, a nightclub, where people go to dance to this music. Disco music often has a lively and happy feeling and uses instruments like drums, bass, and electronic sounds.
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See It in Action
A style of dance music with a strong beat popular in the 1970s
- •The DJ played disco all night, and everyone danced.
- •She loves listening to disco music because it makes her happy.
- •Disco songs often have a steady rhythm that is easy to dance to.
A nightclub or place where people dance to disco music
- •They went to a disco to celebrate their birthday.
- •The disco was full of colorful lights and loud music.
- •At the disco, people dressed in bright clothes and danced together.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "disco" like "music" or "party," but with a special dance beat that is steady and easy to move to
- ✓Picture a room full of colorful lights, people dancing in bright clothes, and a shiny disco ball turning on the ceiling
- ✓It's the fun feeling you get when you hear a song that makes you want to move your feet and dance with friends
- ✓Sounds like "DIS-co" → imagine a disco ball spinning fast, making shiny lights all around the room
- ✓Remember movies or shows with 1970s style parties, where people wear big hair and dance to funky music
- ✓NOT like "classical music" (quiet and slow), disco is loud, fast, and made for dancing
- ✓NOT like "rock music" (guitar-heavy and loud), disco uses more electronic sounds and steady beats
- ✓NOT like a simple "club" (any place to meet), disco is a special club for a particular music and dance style
Try Other Words
- •Dance club: a place where people dance (Use when you want a more general or modern word for disco)
- •Nightclub: a place open at night for music and dancing (Use for any music style, not only disco)
- •Dance music: music made for dancing (Use when focusing on the music style, not the place)
- •Funk: a music style related to disco, with strong rhythm and groove (Use when talking about related but different music)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "disco" is short for "discotheque" (a French word)
- •Etymology: From French "discothèque," meaning a place with recorded music (discs = records, thèque = place)
- •Historical development: Started in the 1940s-50s in France as places to dance to recorded music; became popular worldwide in the 1970s with a new music style
- •Modern usage: Refers both to the 1970s music style and the dance clubs playing this music or similar styles today
Reflect & Connect
•How does disco music make you feel, and why do you think it became so popular for dancing?
•Can you think of any modern music or places that are like disco? What are the similarities or differences?
Fill in the blanks
1.People go to a disco because they want to ___ to music with a strong beat.
2.The disco played ___ music that made everyone want to dance all night.
3.Unlike a quiet café, a disco is ___ and full of colorful lights.
4.When the DJ started the disco music, the crowd began to ___ energetically.
5.A disco is different from a regular party because it focuses mainly on ___.
6.The word "disco" comes from "discothèque," which means a place where you play ___.
7.At the disco, people often wear bright clothes and dance ___ with others.