noun
ragtime
RAG-tym
noun
1
A style of music with strongly syncopated melodies over a steady, regular accompaniment, popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
"Scott Joplin's piano rags helped popularise ragtime."
How to Use Ragtime
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn early American piano music style known for its bouncy, off-beat rhythms.
Common pairings
ragtime piano
a ragtime tune
Word Forms
ragtimed past tense, ragtimes plural, ragtimes singular
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Scott Joplin's piano rags helped popularise _____.
Etymology
Likely from "ragged" plus "time," referring to its heavily syncopated ("ragged") rhythm.