samba

noun

sam·​ba ˈsam-bə How to pronounce samba (audio) ˈsäm- How to pronounce samba (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Traitors alum and Dancing With the Stars Season 34 contestant went viral after posting a shirtless samba with pro partner Daniella Karagach on TikTok, racking up over 3 million views. Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025 Although Ferreira sings primarily in her native Portuguese, her potent blend of folk, rock, reggae, hip-hop and such propulsive Brazilian styles as samba and xote is alluring in any language. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2025 Brazil sounded completely different, with samba musicians practicing in the streets. Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 The British Reinvasion didn't end there, either, as proven by trip-hop, drums-and-bass, jungle, or whatever term the British press coined this week for all those heady, space-age samba club beats. Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for samba

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of samba was in 1885

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Cite this Entry

“Samba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/samba. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025.

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