Afro-Cuban

American  

[af-roh-kyoo-buhn] / ˈæf roʊˈkyu bən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Black people of Cuban origin and African ancestry.

   an Afro-Cuban movie director.

2. combining elements of Black African culture with those of Cuban culture.

   Afro-Cuban religion.

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noun

1. a Black person of Cuban origin and African ancestry.

   an engineering scholarship for Afro-Cubans.

2. percussive Latin music originating in Cuba and showing strong African rhythmic influence.

   a distinctive blend of jazz, Afro-Cuban, and hip-hop.

Afro-Cuban British  

adjective

1. of or relating to a type of jazz influenced by Cuban variants of African rhythms Compare Cu-bop

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Etymology

Origin of Afro-Cuban

First recorded in 1890–95; Afro- ( def. ) + Cuban ( def. )

Example Sentences

When photographer Tyler Mitchell first visited Havana over a decade ago, he was captivated by Afro-Cuban culture—the centuries-old buildings and spiritual practices rooted in West African traditions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

They tapped into the island’s deep, syncretic, Afro-Cuban culture, criticized harsh living conditions and gave voice to people’s resentment of daily censorship and the pain of families whose loved ones emigrated.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

He became one of the most convincing early proponents of the world music movement, readily fitting in tabla with flamenco as well as with African, Indonesian , Afro-Cuban, you-name-it drumming.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 12, 2025

The man is Carlos Martiel, an Afro-Cuban performance artist known for putting his body through grueling, painful trials while audiences watch.

From New York Times • May 23, 2024

I’m Afro-Cuban on my dad’s side and Sephardic-Cuban on my mom’s.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar