polonaise
UK[ˌpɒləˈneɪz]US[ˌpɑːləˈneɪz]
n
a slow dance of polish origin in triple time, consisting chiefly of a march or promenade.
n
a piece of music for such a dance or in its rhythm.
n
a woman's dress of the 18th century, having a fitted bodice and a skirt open from the waist downward, looped up to show a decorative underskirt.
Morpheme Breakdown
polon
aise
polon
poland
aise
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'polonaise' entered english in the late 18th century directly from french, where 'polonaise' is the feminine form of 'polonais', meaning 'polish'. the french term itself derives from the medieval latin 'polonia', meaning 'poland'. the suffix '-aise' is a common french denominal suffix used to form nouns indicating origin or style, such as in 'française' (french woman) or 'japonaise' (japanese style). thus, the literal construction 'polonaise' translates to 'polish woman' or 'polish style', which logically evolved to denote the polish national dance, its music, and later a style of dress inspired by polish attire.
Analysis
Structure: polon (poland) + aise (noun suffix)
polon (from french 'polonais', meaning 'polish', of slavic origin; serves as the root specifying nationality/place). aise (a french noun-forming suffix, often indicating a quality, condition, or relation; here it forms a noun denoting something characteristic of poland).
Examples
the orchestra played a stately polonaise by chopin.
she wore a beautiful silk polonaise to the historical reenactment.
the dancers performed the polonaise as the opening procession of the ball.