capoeira

noun ca·po·ei·ra \ ˌkä-pə-ˈwā-rə , ˌkäp-ˈwā- \

|Updated on: 24 Jul 2018

Definition of capoeira

: a Brazilian dance of African origin that incorporates martial arts movements such as kicks and chops

Recent Examples of capoeira from the Web

These soundtracked passages of almost uniformly inept Meisner capoeira are all the more grating because the interactions on either side of them are so vibrant.

— max maller, Chicago Reader, "Fucking Men struggles with onstage intimacy realness," 11 July 2018
Clapping and thigh slapping recall juba dancing, and a circle dance suggests the rudimentary moves of the Afro-Brazilian martial arts form capoeira.

— karen campbell, BostonGlobe.com, "A moving ‘Vessel,’ in more ways than one," 29 June 2018
While recalling his first capoeira training session, Eric contemplates the divide between instinct and caution: Part of entering the world of capoeira angola is a constant training in vigilance, and not just during the actual playing of the game.

— brittany allen, Longreads, "Masters of Contradiction," 24 May 2018
Feint and trickery are generalized into a capoeira player’s worldview such that they are revealed to be an unavoidable part of the texture of life itself.

— brittany allen, Longreads, "Masters of Contradiction," 24 May 2018
The princess’ escape from her circumscribed life appeared to be through extreme sports, the friend said, including scuba-diving, capoeira and skydiving.

— adam taylor, Washington Post, "India’s Modi authorized capture of runaway Dubai princess, newspaper claims," 28 Apr. 2018
They are joined again by Johan Sakr, and also by Nassib El Khoury, thirty, the cofounder of a Lebanese capoeira school.

— bronwen dickey, Popular Mechanics, "The Lost Kids on the Line," 14 Mar. 2018
Afterward, guests arrived at Parque Lage to musicians playing capoeira music and traditional Baianas dancing and singing from the balcony above.

— alexandra macon, Vogue, "A Wild Three-Day Wedding Weekend in Rio," 9 Mar. 2018
Some of the hurtling upside-down jumps are those usually associated with capoeira, the Brazilian martial arts genre.

— alastair macaulay, New York Times, "Review: A Work That Conjures Desert Sands and Whirlwinds," 31 Jan. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of capoeira

Brazilian Portuguese, kind of martial art, ruffian skilled in this art, fugitive slave living in the forest, from capão island of forest in a clear-cut area, from Tupi kaʔapáũ, from kaʔá forest + paũ round

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1928

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year