"Sashay" is a balletic term meaning to glide or slide smoothly across the floor. Its spelling is somewhat tricky, but can be explained with the IPA phonetic transcription. The "s" is clearly pronounced as /s/, followed by the "a" sound which is pronounced as /æ/. Then, the "sh" sound is made by the combination of the letters "s" and "h" and is pronounced as /ʃ/. Finally, the "ay" sound is pronounced as /eɪ/. Overall, "sashay" is pronounced as /sæʃeɪ/.
Sashay is commonly used as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it refers to a particular type of dance step characterized by a smooth, sliding motion of the feet while moving the body in a graceful, often exaggerated manner. This term is most commonly associated with the ballroom dance styles, such as the cha-cha, tango, or waltz, where the dancer takes long, confident strides while swaying the hips and exhibiting elegance.
As a verb, sashay means to perform or execute this dance step or a similar graceful movement with confidence and style. It can also be used more figuratively to describe a person moving or walking flamboyantly, exhibiting a self-assured and confident attitude. In this sense, it often connotes a certain level of showiness or grandeur in one's movements, suggesting a deliberate attempt to draw attention or demonstrate a sense of superiority or style.
Beyond its association with dance, sashay can also be used metaphorically to describe any smooth, gracious movement, whether physical or metaphorical. For example, it can be used to illustrate the confident and purposeful manner in which someone navigates through a crowd or performs a task. Overall, sashay encapsulates the sense of dignified movement or behavior with an air of flair, poise, and confidence.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "sashay" is believed to have originated from the French word "chassé", which means "to chase" or "to hunt". In dancing, "chassé" is a step where one leg is rapidly chased by the other, creating a gliding movement. Over time, "chassé" evolved into "saché" in Old French, which meant "to move away" or "glide gracefully". Eventually, in English, it transformed into "sashay", referring to a stylish, sweeping movement or walk, often associated with confident and flamboyant motion.