bossa nova

noun

bos·sa no·va | \ ˌbä-sə-ˈnō-və

Definition of bossa nova

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

Her wrenching ballad performances and suave renditions of bossa nova standards earned her glowing reviews, increasingly prestigious bookings and the admiration of her colleagues. — Andrew R. Chow, New York Times, "Rebecca Parris, Jazz Singer, Is Dead at 66," 22 June 2018 Caravelle is souped-up bossa nova for the sensual lounge and cocktail bar of your dreams. — Billboard Staff, Billboard, "Billboard Dance's Ones to Watch: May 2018," 25 May 2018 Using a recipe that incorporates everything from Brazilian bossa nova to spaghetti-Western guitars, each song comes served with a heaping side of bass and swagger. — Zack Ruskin, San Francisco Chronicle, "Sofi Tukker on ascension to dance pop stardom," 9 May 2018 Over a slinky bossa nova beat, Misch and featured hip hop group De La Soul deliver a seductive hit of soulful music, letting the instruments and Misch’s silky voice steal the show. — Raisa Bruner, Time, "Best Songs of 2018 So Far," 1 June 2018 The introspective songs are a mix of reggaeton, bossa nova (a genre of Brazilian music), and neo soul. — Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, "Required Listening: The Best Albums of 2018," 1 June 2018 The track has a bossa nova swing, but Reinhart's vocals — showcased on season 10 of American Idol — have the lilt of low-fi pop. — Rebecca Farley, refinery29.com, "Haley Reinhart's "Last Kiss Goodbye" Has All Of Your Favorite Things," 31 May 2018 Guests also enjoyed a variety of samba, soul, bossa nova, and afro-international rhythms performed by Samba Soul. — Sue Strachan, NOLA.com, "Building an Empire at Newcomb Art Museum opening," 26 Apr. 2018 The new song, which has already garnered more than 200,000 views on Youtube, starts with a bossa nova sample before the beat drops and Soto begins rapping. — Billboard Venezuela, Billboard, "Venezuelan Rapper Big Soto Mixes Trap, Bossa Nova on New Single, 'Big Bang': Watch," 3 Mar. 2018

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