bachata

American  

[bah-chah-tah] / bɑˈtʃɑ tɑ /

noun

1. a contemporary genre of Latin American popular music, in the style of a ballad, featuring guitars, percussion, and singing.

   On Thursdays, they have a band that plays nothing but bachata.

2. a song performed in the musical style of bachata.

   The lyrics to this bachata are from a traditional hymn.

3. a partnered dance of Dominican origin, performed to the music of bachata, traditionally danced in eight-count box steps with a sequence of three steps and a tap, with modern variations that include steps from other Latin ballroom dances.

   Part of the ballroom competition is a six-minute bachata.

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Etymology

Origin of bachata

First recorded in 1955–60; from Caribbean Spanish; origin uncertain

Explanation

Bachata is a rhythmic style of music that originated in the Dominican Republic. Its signature sound is driven by melodic guitar and sharp percussion, featuring bongos and a handheld metal scraper known as a güira. Bachata is derived from Caribbean Spanish, and the word itself literally means "a party" or "a good time." This musical genre is inseparable from its dance counterpart; the term describes the music genre, a song in the genre, and the dance performed to the music. Dating back to the 1950s, bachata evolved from a localized folk tradition into a global phenomenon in the 1990s.

Example Sentences

This tension plays out in the storyline of Frendy, a magnetic student of Haitian descent who uses bachata to fit in.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

From one track to the next, she’ll shift from a mix of dembow and alternative rock to bachata and pop, as seen in her recent single “V3n3n0,” from her upcoming album, “Domi Star.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

“POV: you’re listening to an indie bachata by a British Latina,” read the caption of her video.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2025

The LP continues Shakira’s career-long penchant for pulling together music and collaborators from across the Americas, dipping into rock, electro-pop, trap, Dominican bachata, Nigerian-style Afrobeats and regional Mexican cumbia and polka.

From New York Times • Mar. 18, 2024

Then things get real quiet even though the beat coming from the music in the store switches from mellow bachata to earsplitting salsa.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles