conga

noun

con·​ga ˈkäŋ-gə How to pronounce conga (audio)
1
: a Cuban dance of African origin involving three steps followed by a kick and performed by a group usually in single file
2
: a tall barrel-shaped or tapering drum of Afro-Cuban origin that is played with the hands

Illustration of conga

Illustration of conga
  • conga 2

Examples of conga in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Arnaz played Manuelito Lynch, one of the hunks who also happened to sing and beat the conga drum. Raj Tawney, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Sep. 2024 And there’s a huge Congolese heritage in Cuba that became the conga that led to the cha-cha-cha that then came back. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Sep. 2024 Collins was mortified; the conga player was rubbish. Ryan Craig, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024 Stage success in New York led to a movie adaptation by RKO Pictures where director George Abbott dramatically recreated the stage version of the conga craze Arnaz originally started. Raj Tawney, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for conga 

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, probably from feminine of congo black person, from Congo, region in Africa

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conga was in 1934

Dictionary Entries Near conga

Cite this Entry

“Conga.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conga. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

conga

noun
con·​ga ˈkäŋ-gə How to pronounce conga (audio)
1
: a Cuban dance of African origin performed by a group usually in single file
2
: a tall narrow drum that is played with the hands

More from Merriam-Webster on conga

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