reggae

noun

reg·​gae ˈre-(ˌ)gā How to pronounce reggae (audio)
ˈrā-
: popular music of Jamaican origin that combines native styles with elements of rock and soul music and is performed at moderate tempos with the accent on the offbeat

Examples of reggae in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Inside this small restaurant, which seats about 25 people, there was reggae and dancehall music playing and several portraits of Bob Marley on the wall. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2024 Always wanted to live like a legendary reggae musician who sold more than 20 million records during his lifetime? Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2024 While there isn’t much Black music covered outside of reggae, music scenes were much more siloed in those days and TP focused on what its audience wanted. Jem Aswad, Variety, 18 Mar. 2024 The song, a vibey mix of traditional reggae and R&B sounds coupled with Sevana’s soul-laden vocals, was produced by Kelsey Gonzalez, bass player for the Free Nationals — who frequently serve as the backing band for Anderson .Paak. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024 Their fusion of roots reggae with an increasingly pop-leaning blend of soul, R&B, dub, calypso, and other dance styles proved a hit both on U.S. radio and in their Jamaican homeland, where the band moved after releasing debut LP Miracles. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 26 Feb. 2024 Celebrating the reggae icon's birthday in our native land was a special treat for this superfan. Essence, 24 Feb. 2024 The movie begins in 1976, when Marley is already the biggest star in reggae. Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 Taite wanted to know if Marley had dabbled in rock or soul before settling on reggae. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reggae.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reggae was in 1968

Dictionary Entries Near reggae

Cite this Entry

“Reggae.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reggae. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

reggae

noun
reg·​gae ˈreg-(ˌ)ā How to pronounce reggae (audio)
ˈrāg-
: popular music of Jamaican origin that combines native styles with elements of U.S. black popular music and is performed at moderate tempos with the accent on the offbeat

More from Merriam-Webster on reggae

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