samba

noun

sam·​ba ˈsam-bə How to pronounce samba (audio) ˈsäm- How to pronounce samba (audio)
: a Brazilian dance of African origin with a basic pattern of step-close-step-close and characterized by a dip and spring upward at each beat of the music
also : the music for this dance
samba intransitive verb

Examples of samba in a Sentence

The band played a samba.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Latin Grammy nominee performs his swinging samba-funk colored with Brazilian soul. — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026 My very first film, ‘The Samba Within Me,’ a doc feature about a Rio samba school directed by Joca Georgia Guerra-Peixe, was co-produced out of Portugal and Germany. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 In the premiere episode, six-time Mirrorball champion Derek Hough flew in as a mentor and guest judge to help the 12 contestants pair up and assigned the men to perform a jive and the women to dance a samba. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026 When Madlib led him out of the hotel room in São Paulo, all the samba schools were training rigorously for the Carnival. — Harry Levin, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for samba

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of samba was in 1885

Rhymes for samba

See All Rhymes for samba

Browse Nearby Words

Sama Veda
samba
sambal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Samba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/samba. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on samba

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about samba

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