hootenanny
noun
hoo·te·nan·ny ˈhü-tə-ˌna-nē 
plural hootenannies
1
chiefly dialectal : gadget
2
: a gathering at which folk singers entertain often with the audience joining in
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web But new to even him was a reproduction of a 1959 photo of Dylan sitting among some students at a hootenanny on the University of Minnesota campus, recently donated by the man sitting next to young Dylan in the picture. 
Chris Willman, Variety, 11 May 2022 The very budding artist is seen in 1959 participating in a hootenanny with University of Minnesota students at the campus’ Minnesota Hillel building. Chris Willman, Variety, 10 May 2022 These famed disciples manage to maintain a spontaneous atmosphere with sometimes shambolic hootenanny vocals while exhibiting their typically stunning instrumental prowess. Barry Mazor, WSJ, 3 May 2022 Dylan returned briefly to Minnesota the following May, to sing at a university hootenanny, and Nelson and Pankake saw him again on that occasion. Mick Stevens, The New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2021 Bumblefest and normalcy are not words that often appear in the same sentence, but the Sept. 17 return of Steve Rullman’s modern-rock hootenanny in downtown West Palm Beach now feels like a comforting symbol of back-when. Ben Crandell, sun-sentinel.com, 6 Aug. 2021 The Northern Medina County Chamber Alliance is planning a country-western golf outing and hootenanny on June 17 at Coppertop Golf Club. Sam Boyer, cleveland, 23 Apr. 2021 Frontier Town will transform into a Wild West hootenanny, brimming with live music, interactive games for adults and kids, festive décor, street entertainers and a mouth-watering food and drink menu. Jennie Key, The Enquirer, 18 Feb. 2021 Today’s Kellyoke turned out to be a real hootenanny on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Gabrielle Sanchez, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2021 See More
Chris Willman, Variety, 11 May 2022 The very budding artist is seen in 1959 participating in a hootenanny with University of Minnesota students at the campus’ Minnesota Hillel building. Chris Willman, Variety, 10 May 2022 These famed disciples manage to maintain a spontaneous atmosphere with sometimes shambolic hootenanny vocals while exhibiting their typically stunning instrumental prowess. Barry Mazor, WSJ, 3 May 2022 Dylan returned briefly to Minnesota the following May, to sing at a university hootenanny, and Nelson and Pankake saw him again on that occasion. Mick Stevens, The New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2021 Bumblefest and normalcy are not words that often appear in the same sentence, but the Sept. 17 return of Steve Rullman’s modern-rock hootenanny in downtown West Palm Beach now feels like a comforting symbol of back-when. Ben Crandell, sun-sentinel.com, 6 Aug. 2021 The Northern Medina County Chamber Alliance is planning a country-western golf outing and hootenanny on June 17 at Coppertop Golf Club. Sam Boyer, cleveland, 23 Apr. 2021 Frontier Town will transform into a Wild West hootenanny, brimming with live music, interactive games for adults and kids, festive décor, street entertainers and a mouth-watering food and drink menu. Jennie Key, The Enquirer, 18 Feb. 2021 Today’s Kellyoke turned out to be a real hootenanny on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Gabrielle Sanchez, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
origin unknown
First Known Use
1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1
hootenanny
noun
1
as in songfest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- songfest
- shindig
- ceilidh
- sing
- jam
- festival
- jam session
- ceili
- fête
- recital
- fete
- symphony
- concert
- presentation
- musicale
- performance
2
as in dingus
Synonyms & Similar Words
- dingus
- thingamajig
- thingummy
- doohickey
- thingamabob
- hickey
- doodad
- mechanism
- thingumajig
- accessory
- adjunct
- innovation
- trick
- ingenuity
- utensil
- contraption
- jigger
- accessary
- gizmo
- instrument
- gadget
- tool
- invention
- appliance
- contrivance
- gimmick
- implement
- widget
- gismo