Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

polka

/ˈpoʊ(l)kə/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.20 in modern English

Syllables
pol-ka
IPA
/ˈpoʊ(l)kə/
11
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A lively dance originating in Bohemia.

noun

The music for this dance.

noun

A polka jacket.

verb

To dance the polka.

Intransitive verb

name

A surname.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Via French and German from Czech polka, variant of půlka (“half”) as in "half-step"; see půl (“half”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈpoʊ(l)kə/
  • British English: /ˈpɒl.kə/

Usage

Subject

Wiktionary places this term in Music.

Inflected Forms

polkas (plural) polkas (present, singular) polkaing (participle, present) polkaed (participle, past) polkaed (past)

Derived Forms

polkabilly polkalike polkamania polkist

Phrases

horizontal polka polka dot polka-like polka-mazurka

Rhymes With

coca mocha anoka bocca goloka

Questions

How do you pronounce polka?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈpoʊ(l)kə/.
What does polka mean?
A lively dance originating in Bohemia.
Where does polka come from?
It is traced to French.

How to pronounce polka

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “polka”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈpoʊ(l)kə/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “polka”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “polka” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.