breaking

1 of 2

present participle of break entry 1

breaking

2 of 2

noun

break·​ing ˈbrā-kiŋ 

: a style of hip-hop dance in which soloists perform acrobatic moves that often involve touching various parts of the body (such as the back or head) to the ground : breakdancing

… competition—one-on-one battles—has long been a part of breaking.

—David Woods

Breakdancing—officially called breaking on the program—will make its Olympic debut in 2024.

—Gregory Strong

Sally Banes' influential Village Voice piece, "Physical Graffiti: Breaking Is Hard to Do," in March 1981—featuring Martha Cooper's photos of breaking and b-boys—exposed New Yorkers, and soon the world, to what had already been a thriving and multidimensional cultural scene.

—Rachael Carnes

Word History

Etymology

Noun

break entry 2 (in sense "solo instrumental passage") + -ing entry 1; from the performance of acrobatic dances during a cued series of instrumental breaks in pop songs

First Known Use

Noun

1981, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing breaking

• breaking and entering
• breaking ball
• breaking point
• day is breaking
• late-breaking news
• record-breaking