danse ma·ca·bre \dääⁿsmȧkääbr(ə), -b(rə)\noun (pluraldanses macabres \“\) Etymology: French, literally, macabre dance 1.: a medieval dance or procession in which a skeleton representing death leads other skeletons or living persons to the grave — called also dance of death 2.: something that evokes horror as would a danse macabre