SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

bomba

noun
Save Word
bom·​ba | \ ˈbōm-bə How to pronounce bomba (audio) \
plural bombas

Definition of bomba

1 : a traditional Puerto Rican drum consisting of a barrel with a goatskin head
2 : a genre of Puerto Rican dance accompanied by drums and other percussion also : a song sung by a soloist and chorus to accompany a bomba

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

First Known Use of bomba

1951, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for bomba

borrowed from American Spanish (Puerto Rico), probably feminine derivative of Spanish bombo "drum," derivative of the onomatopoeic base of earlier bomba "pump, bomb"

Learn More About bomba

Dictionary Entries Near bomba

bomb

bomba

Bombacaceae

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for bomba

Cite this Entry

“Bomba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bomba. Accessed 5 Jul. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

cantankerous

Listen to the pronunciation of cantankerous

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Which Word Does Not Belong?

  • one green toy robot amidst many red toy robots
  • Which of these words does not mean "nonsense"?
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games