samba

noun SAHM-bah Rare

Origin: From Kimbundu (Angola) 'semba', referring to a belly-button touch in dance; entered Spanish via Brazilian Portuguese.

Usage Note

Samba in Spanish is feminine: la samba. It refers both to the Brazilian musical genre and the associated dance. Do not confuse it with la zamba, an unrelated Argentine folk dance with a different character and rhythm. In Brazil the word is also used in the masculine (o samba), but Spanish consistently treats it as feminine.

Examples

"Bailaron la samba durante toda la noche."

Natural Translation

They danced the samba all night long.

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