bossa nova
noun
bos·sa no·va
ˌbä-sə-ˈnō-və 
1
: popular music of Brazilian origin that is rhythmically related to the samba but with complex harmonies and improvised jazzlike passages
2
: a dance performed to bossa nova music
Examples of bossa nova in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What's more, from João Gilberto and Gilberto Gil to the bossa nova and from the modernist painter Tarsila do Amaral to street artists Otavio Pandolfo and Gustavo Pandolfo, Brazil's culture is as vast as its landscapes and regions.
—
Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
Then, Jeff gives us a little two-step before segueing into the robot and the bossa nova.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 2 Apr. 2025
This version reveals a version of Mendes beginning to step beyond the boundaries of bossa nova, embracing the U.S. pop scene.
—Felipe Maia, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2024
Music from bossa nova to soul to jazz electrifies the scene.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bossa nova
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Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
Then, Jeff gives us a little two-step before segueing into the robot and the bossa nova.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 2 Apr. 2025
This version reveals a version of Mendes beginning to step beyond the boundaries of bossa nova, embracing the U.S. pop scene.
—Felipe Maia, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2024
Music from bossa nova to soul to jazz electrifies the scene.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bossa nova
Cite this Entry
“Bossa nova.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bossa%20nova. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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