Sambas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A traditional Brazilian dance characterized by lively rhythms and energetic movements that often accompany festive celebrations
2. A popular genre of music originating from Brazil, known for its syncopated beats and joyful melodies that encourage dance
3. A cultural performance that blends rhythm, music, and dance, often performed during carnival and social gatherings in Brazilian culture

Etymology: "Sambas" is simply the plural of "samba," so the story belongs to the dance itself. The word "samba" came into English by borrowing from Brazilian Portuguese, where it was "samba." That Portuguese form most likely traces back to Kongo "semba," a word from a Bantu language of Central Africa, and the two words are doublets, meaning they share a common origin but reached English-speaking readers through different routes. The likely link to Kongo matters because of who carried the tradition to Brazil. Enslaved Africans brought from Central Africa over the Atlantic shaped Brazilian musical and dance forms, and "semba" in Kongo-speaking regions referred to a related kind of lively, circling dance. The exact path from one word to the other is not fully documented, so the connection is best understood as probable rather than settled.

Synonyms: samba dances, Brazilian dances