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Glite Dictionary
💃 A ballroom dance 🤗 An affectionate hug
bunny hug

bunny hug

9.9
A lively ballroom dance popular in the United States in the early 1900s
  • noun
  • /ˈbʌni hʌg/
  • Archaic
translation icon : bunny hug
  • The bunny hug was all the rage in dance halls during the 1910s.

Examples

  • Historians often mention the bunny hug alongside other early American dances like the turkey trot.

  • They learned the steps to the bunny hug for the vintage-themed performance.

  • The bunny hug was a hit at the dance hall.

  • Did you learn the bunny hug during dance class?

  • The bunny hug was popular among couples dancing together in the early 20th century.

  • Many dancers enjoyed the lively movements of the bunny hug at the historic ballroom.

  • During the party, they showcased their skills by performing the bunny hug for everyone.

Surface Forms

bunny hug singular
bunny hugs plural

Morphology

bunny + hug

The meaning 'a warm and comforting embrace' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'bunny' (a small, cute animal often used affectionately) with 'hug' (an embrace). This compound follows a regular modifier+noun pattern where the first element specifies the kind of hug, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the affectionate sense.

Etymology

Bunny hug may come from a picture of dance partners holding each other close while making short, bouncy steps like a rabbit, with bunny and hug showing the image; so the name was used for this lively early 20th-century dance.