reggae

noun

reg·​gae ˈre-(ˌ)gā How to pronounce reggae (audio)
ˈrā-
: popular music of Jamaican origin that combines native styles with elements of rock and soul music and is performed at moderate tempos with the accent on the offbeat

Examples of reggae in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown, Augustus Pablo and King Tubby One genre of music that the punk rockers gave a free pass to was reggae, dub specifically. Liza Lentini, Spin, 22 Sep. 2023 Los Fabulosos Cadillacs will bring their blend of rock, rap, salsa, ska and reggae as part of their El Leon del Ritmo tour. Chelsea Hylton, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023 Intermingled elements of jazz, pop, rock and reggae. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 3 Sep. 2023 There is just one concert left this season — a reggae band — and the Trustees have shown no intentions of moving the barriers. Billy Baker, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Sep. 2023 Saturday’s music begins at 2 p.m. with the local husband-and-wife duo Rick and Sharona, continues at 2:30 p.m. with the band Apostle Jones and moves on with the popular classic reggae sounds of Carlos Jones and the Plus Band at 4:30. cleveland, 11 Aug. 2023 This year is no exception, with acts as uber-popular as Bon Iver sharing space with emerging artists like Palm, and genres like reggae, hip hop, rock, electro-pop and R&B getting a chance to shine. Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2023 And then with the punk movement, which had its roots in reggae and ska – the Clash and bands like that. Matt Thompson, Spin, 31 Aug. 2023 From the relaxed grooves of reggae to the infectious rhythms of soca, the high-energy beats from dancehall, to the melodic storytelling and social commentary of calypso, among many other genres, the Caribbean has given rise to a diverse array of musical styles over several generations. Melissa Noel, Essence, 30 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reggae.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reggae was in 1968

Dictionary Entries Near reggae

Cite this Entry

“Reggae.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reggae. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

reggae

noun
reg·​gae ˈreg-(ˌ)ā How to pronounce reggae (audio)
ˈrāg-
: popular music of Jamaican origin that combines native styles with elements of U.S. black popular music and is performed at moderate tempos with the accent on the offbeat

More from Merriam-Webster on reggae

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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