soukous

noun

sou·kous ˈsü-ˌküs

: popular guitar-driven dance music created in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the influence of Cuban rumba

Word History

Etymology

African French (of Brazzaville and Kinshasa) soucous, soukous, a dance popular in the late 1960s, alteration of French secousse jolt, jerk

First Known Use

1982, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of soukous was in 1982

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Browse Nearby Words

souk

soukous

soul

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Soukous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soukous. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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