zydeco
noun
zy·de·co
ˈzī-də-ˌkō 
often attributive
: popular music of southern Louisiana that combines tunes of French origin with elements of Caribbean music and the blues and that features guitar, washboard, and accordion
Did you know?
The History of Zydeco
You might say that the lively form of music known as zydeco is full of beans, etymologically speaking. Legend has it that the word zydeco originated in the lyrics of Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés, a popular Cajun dance tune. Loosely translated, the song's title means "the beans are not salty," and when spoken in French Creole, les haricots (French for beans) sounds something like "zydeco." "Zydeco" first appeared in print in 1960 and has been used to describe this kind of music ever since.
Examples of zydeco in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Saturday’s all-day schedule features sets by zydeco accordion maestro Ruben Moreno, Cajun standard bearers the Riley Family Band with David Greely and Sam Broussard, and soulful accordionist/vocalist Geno Delafose, scion of a zydeco dynasty.
—
Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
In addition, Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to five-time Grammy-winner Taj Mahal; zydeco originator Clifton Chenier; and Louisiana Folk Roots, which celebrates the joie de vivre of Cajun and Creole cultures.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 22 Jan. 2026
Hunter Courville & Cajun Fever performs energetic zydeco and swamp-pop anthems.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Current zydeco artists bring elements of hip-hop and country into their music.
—Alicia Ault, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for zydeco
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.
Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026
In addition, Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to five-time Grammy-winner Taj Mahal; zydeco originator Clifton Chenier; and Louisiana Folk Roots, which celebrates the joie de vivre of Cajun and Creole cultures.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 22 Jan. 2026
Hunter Courville & Cajun Fever performs energetic zydeco and swamp-pop anthems.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Current zydeco artists bring elements of hip-hop and country into their music.
—Alicia Ault, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for zydeco
Cite this Entry
“Zydeco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zydeco. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
zydeco
noun
zy·de·co
ˈzīd-ə-ˌkō
: popular music of southern Louisiana that combines tunes of French origin with elements of Caribbean music and blues
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
