Foxtrot

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communications code word

Fox·​trot ˈfäks-ˌträt How to pronounce Foxtrot (audio)
used as a code word for the letter f

foxtrot

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noun

fox·​trot ˈfäks-ˌträt How to pronounce foxtrot (audio)
variants or less commonly fox-trot or fox trot
plural foxtrots also fox-trots or fox trots
1
: a short broken slow trotting gait in which the hind foot of the horse hits the ground a trifle before the diagonally opposite forefoot
2
: a ballroom dance in duple time with slow walking steps, quick running steps, and the step of the two-step
also : the music for this dance
The band played a foxtrot.

fox-trot

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verb

fox-trotted; fox-trotting; fox-trots

intransitive verb

: to dance the foxtrot

Examples of Foxtrot 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.
Noun
The couple surprised Arnold with the news during rehearsals of their foxtrot, while Scott dedicated his performance on that night’s episode to Mark. Stephen Daw, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025 Shortly into the dance, Lisa Ann joined for a three-person foxtrot. Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025 Scott Hoying and dancing pro Rylee Arnold danced a foxtrot dedicated to Hoying's husband. Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025 Former Bachelorette Jenn Tran, for example, dedicated her foxtrot to Taylor Swift, citing the pop icon’s influence during her childhood. Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Foxtrot

Word History

First Known Use

Communications Code Word

1952, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1858, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Foxtrot was in 1858

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foxtrot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Foxtrot. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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