bolero

noun bo·le·ro \ bə-ˈler-(ˌ)ō , -ˈle-rō \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of bolero

plural boleros

1 : a Spanish dance characterized by sharp turns, stamping of the feet, and sudden pauses in a position with one arm arched over the head; also : music in ³/₄ time for a bolero

2 : a loose waist-length jacket open at the front

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Recent Examples of bolero from the Web

The gentlest piece, the title track, is a bolero whose arrangement holds aloft ribbons of melody from Mr. Threadgill’s alto saxophone that sound like pleas.

— larry blumenfeld, WSJ, "‘Back to the Sunset’ Review: A Cuban Drummer Realizes His Grandest Dream," 2 Apr. 2018
The founder of one of the oldest musical acts here, Rodríguez croons boleros and lyrical anthems that at times quicken the heart and at others create a daydreamy lull.

— author: arelis r. hernandez, Anchorage Daily News, "Exodus from Puerto Rico grows as island struggles to rebound from Hurricane Maria," 7 Mar. 2018
Miramar — with lead singers from Puerto Rico and Tennessee and a Chilean-American keyboardist and composer — devoted itself to urbanely lovelorn Puerto Rican-style boleros, some vintage and some written by group members.

— jon pareles, New York Times, "Review: Globalfest’s World Music for a Connected World," 15 Jan. 2018
The founder of one of the oldest musical acts here, Rodriguez croons boleros and lyrical anthems that at times quicken the heart and at others create a daydreamy lull.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Exodus from Puerto Rico grows as island struggles to rebound from Hurricane Maria," 11 June 2017
In a bolero hat and cowboy boots, the real estate developer — who also owns Calahua, the world’s second-largest producer of coconut cream — looks the part of the frontiersman.

— esther mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, "Is Napa running out of land for vineyards?," 22 Feb. 2018
Yet Moss still infused her ensemble with a hint of her signature edge with a shaggy long-hair bolero that cleverly picked up on tones of her dress.

— edward barsamian, Vogue, "Kate Moss Channels Marilyn Monroe for a Fashionable Birthday Bash," 20 Feb. 2018
While Buena Vista referenced Cuban country and the bolero tradition, the big and brassy All Stars paid homage to the great Cuban orchestras.

— judy cantor-navas, Billboard, "The Afro-Cuban All Stars Will Tour the U.S. This Winter," 5 Jan. 2018
With over 64 million YouTube views, the song openly celebrates the longings of companionship with a nostalgic taste traversing through bolero and son jarocho, accompanied by Los Macorinos, Chavela Vargas’ all-time guitarists.

— billboard staff, Billboard, "The 20 Best Latin Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks," 22 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bolero.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.