conga

noun

con·​ga ˈkäŋ-gə 

1

: a Cuban dance of African origin involving three steps followed by a kick and performed by a group usually in single file

2

: a tall barrel-shaped or tapering drum of Afro-Cuban origin that is played with the hands

Illustration of conga

• conga 2

Examples of conga in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Drums and congas came to the fore whenever the band seemed in danger of breaking down. —Literary Hub, 20 Apr. 2026

On that track and others on the album, Scott-Heron’s only musical accompaniment was a conga and bongo drums. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Mar. 2026

There are some outlier lines that hint at abundance or gluttony—your lines of coke or of conga—but lines generally broadcast supply problems: breadlines, Cuban bodega lines, embargo-era gas lines. —Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2026

Time will tell, but for now Californians — and most of America — are stuck doing the same old clock-face conga on Sunday. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, probably from feminine of congo black person, from Congo, region in Africa

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing conga

• conga line

Rhymes for conga

• longa
• sanga

Kids Definition

conga

noun

con·​ga ˈkäŋ-gə 

1

: a Cuban dance of African origin performed by a group usually in single file

2

: a tall narrow drum that is played with the hands