berimbau

[ buh-rim-bou; Portuguese bey-reenm-bou ]

noun

1. a musical instrument consisting of a steel string on a bow-shaped wooden pole, with a gourd resonator attached to its base, the string being struck with a stick.

berimbau

/ berɪ̃ˈbau /

noun

1. a Brazilian single-stringed bowed instrument, used to accompany capoeira

Word History and Origins

Origin of berimbau¹

1960–65; < Portuguese < Kimbundu mri-rimbau

Word History and Origins

Origin of berimbau¹

from the quimbundo (an Angolan language) word mbirimbau