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
One lovely sequence sees an outdoor lunch at the lodge turn into an impromptu dance party with a live musician singing some cheerfully inauthentic bossa nova.
—
Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
By injecting the song with a bossa nova cadence, Laufey made the Carey standard her own while remaining true to its core.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
And then there’s his fascinating key signatures, and chord changes, and the influence of Brazilian bossa nova.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
While Bad Bunny’s previous albums also fused different genres — including bossa nova, mambo, rock, merengue and more — this album’s melange was more homegrown.
—Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bossa nova
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.
Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
By injecting the song with a bossa nova cadence, Laufey made the Carey standard her own while remaining true to its core.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
And then there’s his fascinating key signatures, and chord changes, and the influence of Brazilian bossa nova.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
While Bad Bunny’s previous albums also fused different genres — including bossa nova, mambo, rock, merengue and more — this album’s melange was more homegrown.
—Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
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 1 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
