honky-tonk
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honky-tonk
- /ˈhɒŋkiˌtɒŋk/
- /ˈhɑŋkiˌtɑŋk/
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noun honky-tonks · honky tonk · honkytonk · honk-a-tonk · honkatonk
- A bar or nightclub that caters to Southern patrons and provides country music for entertainment. But I made a vow to the moon and stars / That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars / And kill that man who gave me that awful name
- Any cheap nightclub.
- The type of music typically played in such a club.
- A style of country music emphasizing traditional country instruments (e.g., guitar, steel guitar and fiddle); a rough, nasal vocal style; and tragic themes such as heartbreak, infidelity and alcoholism often associated with patrons of honky-tonks.
adjective more honky-tonk · most honky-tonk · honky tonk · honkytonk · honk-a-tonk · honkatonk
-
Of a sound, having a timbre or tone that is tinny or nasal, said especially of a honky-tonk piano.
There is a method for creating the 'Honky-Tonk' effect via tuning. However, there is no agreement about exactly how it should be accomplished. One point of agreement is that the effect is created by shifting the pitch of one string per note in the entire tri-chord section by 2-5 Hz, which causes a v
Similar: honky tonk-like
Talk about this word "honky-tonk." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/honky-tonk. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. honky-tonk. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/honky-tonk "honky-tonk." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/honky-tonk.Cite this
@misc{honky_tonk_2026,
title = {honky-tonk},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/honky-tonk},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
