What does tarantism mean?
Tarantism names a historical condition characterized by an uncontrollable urge to dance, especially in Italy, where outbreaks of dancing mania were reported from the 17th century onward. People who were said to have been bitten by a tarantula were believed to be suffering from tarantism, and music—especially the lively tarantella—was used to sustain or cure the dancing. Episodes could continue for days and became associated with communal gatherings, religious atmosphere, and social tensions, although the precise causes varied among accounts and remain debated. The word is now chiefly historical and scholarly: it names the supposed disease or frenzy rather than the dance itself. In clear historical prose, tarantism describes both the belief that a spider's venom could compel dancing and the broader social phenomenon of mass, seemingly irrational dancing. Its unusual history makes it a vivid example of how explanations for illness and collective behavior can change over time.
nounA historical frenzy of dancing, particularly the dance epidemics reported in Italy from the 17th century onward, traditionally attributed to tarantula bites.
- A historical condition characterized by an uncontrollable urge to dance, traditionally believed to result from a tarantula bite and especially associated with outbreaks in Italy.
"Accounts of tarantism describe people dancing for days in response to what they believed were tarantula bites."
"Accounts of tarantism describe people dancing for days in response to what they believed were tarantula bites."
"Historians have debated how far the famous outbreaks of tarantism can be explained by spider bites."
Rare and normally uncountable when referring generally to the historical phenomenon; the plural is more natural for separate documented outbreaks.
"The study compared tarantisms reported in several towns across southern Italy."
A supposed spider bite could once set a town dancing—and music was the cure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tarantism come from?
English borrowed the word from Italian tarantismo, which was associated with tarantola, the Italian name for the tarantula. The spider's name ultimately derives from Taranto, a city in southern Italy, and the related dance name tarantella also preserves that place-name root. The English words tarantula and tarantella therefore share the same historical root as tarantism.
How tarantism is actually used
The word is uncommon today and is chiefly historical, literary, or scholarly. It refers to the supposed condition or frenzy rather than to the related tarantella dance. In figurative contexts, it may suggest intense, irrational, or collective excitement.
Easily confused with tarantism
A tarantella is a lively Italian dance or its music; tarantism is the historical frenzy or supposed disease associated with compulsive dancing.
A tarantula is the large spider whose alleged bite was popularly blamed for causing tarantism.