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Definition of "hootenanny" [hoot•en•an•ny]

  • An informal performance by folk singers, typically with participation by the audience. (noun)
  • Informal An unidentified or unidentifiable gadget. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "hootenanny" in a sentence
  • "She was often the only Almanac with a steady job, which -- along with regular "hootenanny" song parties -- helped pay the rent."
  • "Whenever AFG comes home and hints that we need to put on some kind of hootenanny -- oh, I'm sorry, we need to put on some kind of evening soiree-- my first thought is "What would Melody do?""
  • "The terror turns up in all kinds of inconvenient places - a "hootenanny," involving folk singing and poor judgment; the backyard of a neglectful mother who is hanging laundry; and an over-packed reception hall where serious partiers in ridiculous outfits are dancing wildly in broad daylight."
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