hootenanny

noun

hoo·​te·​nan·​ny ˈhü-tə-ˌna-nē How to pronounce hootenanny (audio)
plural hootenannies
Synonyms of hootenannynext
1
chiefly dialectal : gadget
2
: a gathering at which folk singers entertain often with the audience joining in

Examples of hootenanny in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
High-tech met high-proof hootenanny, and nobody looked back. — Bob Bonniol, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025 According to Wald, the first time Dylan is on stage in front of a really big crowd is at a Pete Seeger hootenanny, in which Seeger brought a number of young performers onstage. — Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 25 Dec. 2024 After over 40 years in Utah, the indie cinema hootenanny had inked a 10-year contract with the Beehive State’s next-door neighbor in hopes of renewal and evolution. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025 Earlier, Banks and I had spoken some about mutual quibbles with the racial politics in One Battle After Another—a divisive subject at this hootenanny. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hootenanny

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hootenanny was in 1929

Rhymes for hootenanny

See All Rhymes for hootenanny

Browse Nearby Words

hoot down
hootenanny
hooter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hootenanny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hootenanny. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hootenanny

noun
hoo·​te·​nan·​ny ˈhüt-ᵊn-ˌan-ē How to pronounce hootenanny (audio)
plural hootenannies
: a gathering at which folksingers entertain

More from Merriam-Webster on hootenanny

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hootenanny

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hootenanny

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