samba

noun

sam·​ba ˈsam-bə  ˈsäm- 

: a Brazilian dance of African origin with a basic pattern of step-close-step-close and characterized by a dip and spring upward at each beat of the music

also : the music for this dance

samba intransitive verb

Examples of samba in a Sentence

The band played a samba.

Recent Examples on the Web

Seleção fans essentially took over part of the American Dream mall next to MetLife Stadium and turned it into more of a Brazilian Carnival-like scene with samba dancers, drummers and fans parading down the shopping center. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

Yet Rosa, who died of tuberculosis in 1937 at age 26, remains a samba legend. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026

Or the dancing and marching to the sounds of Brazil's samba or Scotland's bagpipes. — Juliana Kim, NPR, 1 July 2026

As kick-off time nears, the samba beat quietens down and the players turn to prayer. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 14 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for samba

• bomba
• mamba