[F. (16th c. in Littré), noise, disturbance, ‘rumpus,’ also the dance. Of uncertain etymology, the popular fancy being that it is the L. quanquam, about the proper pronunciation of which a noisy wrangle is said to have occurred in the French schools. But Littré also points to an OF. caquehan tumultuous assembly; Scheler thinks it the vbl. sb. from cancaner, which he thinks was ‘to quack as a duck.’]
A kind of dance performed at the public balls in Paris, with extravagant and indecent gestures.
1848. H. Greville, Leaves fr. Diary, 269. Wearing a beard, smoking a short pipe, dancing the cancan.
1882. A. E. Sweet, Sketches fr. ‘Texas Siftings,’ 36. He usually compromises by dancing the Can-can.
Hence Cancaning ppl. a. [Cf. F. cancaner to dance the cancan.]
1865. Daily Tel., 5 Dec., 3/5. The shouting, dancing, cancaning crowd.
