gumbo

1 of 2

noun (1)

gum·​bo ˈgəm-(ˌ)bō 

plural gumbos

1

: a soup thickened with okra pods or filé and containing meat or seafoods and usually vegetables

2

: okra sense 1

3

a

: any of various fine-grained silty soils especially of the central U.S. that when wet become impervious and soapy or waxy and very sticky

b

: a heavy sticky mud

4

: mixture, mélange

gumbo adjective

gumbo

2 of 2

noun (2)

variants or Gumbo

: creole sense 4a(1)

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• medley
• variety
• jumble
• assortment
• collage
• jambalaya
• stew
• salad

Examples of gumbo in a Sentence

Noun (1)

drew his artistic inspiration from the city's rich gumbo of musical styles

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The restaurant still serves picture-perfect fried or baked cod, plus catfish, shrimp, oysters and gumbo, all served to the tune of classic rock. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2025

The sound of brass bands and jazz, the taste of gumbo and hot beignets, the sight of oak trees draped over a pastel-colored cottage home—such elements give the city a magnetic character. —Kristin Braswell, AFAR Media, 23 July 2025

The band made its bones playing free, COVID-compatible outdoor shows in the city, branding them with their own brassy, buoyant and often boffo gumbo of soul, funk, punk, jazz, hip-hop and R&B. —Greg Carannante, Sun Sentinel, 9 June 2025

Thus, every Sunday there would be a large gathering of family on the farm to enjoy an esoteric dark roux gumbo. —Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 25 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

American French gombo, of Bantu origin; akin to Umbundu ochinggômbo okra

Noun (2)

American French gombo, perhaps from Kongo nkômbô runaway slave

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1805, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1838, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gumbo

• gumbo-limbo

Rhymes for gumbo

• jumbo
• columbo

Kids Definition

gumbo

noun

gum·​bo

ˈgəm-bō

plural gumbos

1

a

: okra

b

: a soup thickened with okra pods

2

: any of various silty soils that become very sticky when wet