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• bongo
  bongo

  noun

  a reddish-brown antelope, Taurotragus eurycerus, of the forests of tropical Africa, having white stripes and large, spirally twisted horns.
• Bongo
  Bongo

  noun

  Omar . original name Albert Bernard Bongo . 1935–2009, Gabonese statesman; president of Gabon (1967–2009)

bongo

¹ American  

[bong-goh, bawng-] / ˈbɒŋ goʊ, ˈbɔŋ- /

noun

• bongos,
  plural
• bongo
  plural

1. a reddish-brown antelope, Taurotragus eurycerus, of the forests of tropical Africa, having white stripes and large, spirally twisted horns.

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bongo ² American  

[bong-goh, bawng-] / ˈbɒŋ goʊ, ˈbɔŋ- /

noun

• bongos,
  plural
• bongoes
  plural

1. one of a pair of small tuned drums, played by beating with the fingers.

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Bongo ¹ British  

/ ˈbɒŋɡəʊ /

noun

1. Omar . original name Albert Bernard Bongo . 1935–2009, Gabonese statesman; president of Gabon (1967–2009)

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bongo ² British  

/ ˈbɒŋɡəʊ /

noun

1. a rare spiral-horned antelope, Boocercus (or Taurotragus ) eurycerus , inhabiting forests of central Africa. The coat is bright red-brown with narrow cream stripes

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bongo ³ British  

/ ˈbɒŋɡəʊ /

noun

1. a small bucket-shaped drum, usually one of a pair, played by beating with the fingers

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• bongoist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• bongo
  plural
• bongoes
  plural
• bongos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bongo¹

1860–65; probably < a Bantu language; compare Lingala mongu an antelope

Origin of bongo²

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; from Latin American Spanish (Puerto Rico) bongó

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bongo Bongo bongos

The award-winning artist is beloved for his "bongo flava" hits.

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

The song boasts Grupo Frontera’s traditional norteño sound, with the addition of their signature bongo of course.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2025

In snippets from the Season 2 trailer, we see Misty dressed in purple, banging on a bongo alongside a bunch of Lottie's followers.

From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2023

Broken bongo drums were also found in the apartment.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 30, 2022

Ivette leaned back on the bed, her body moving in rhythm with the song’s mix of bongo drums and the distinct hollow sound of the claved.

From "The Red Umbrella" by Christina Gonzalez

He had succeeded his father, Omar Bongo, who had ruled for 42 years.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2025

Ex-president Ali Bongo was toppled in a coup on August 30, 2023, which brought General Brice Oligui Nguema to power.

From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2025

On Tuesday night, Sylvia Bongo and Noureddin Bongo were found guilty of embezzlement and corruption after a trial that began a day earlier in their absence.

From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2025

He had succeeded his father Omar Bongo Ondimba, who ruled with an iron fist for nearly 42 years until his death in 2009.

From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2025

“Thanks?” he said in a quizzical voice, using the same tone he might have used if Bongo had just made him pancakes.

From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate

Settles-Bey sways to the rhythm of the bongos on a recent Sunday in the park -- but nerves are still frayed.

From Barron's ● May 19, 2026

In 2022, the conservancy told local media that some mountain bongos previously repatriated had successfully been integrated into the wild and started breeding.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026

An eight-piece band plays brass, electric guitar, bongos and timbales, filling the room with music as dancers twirl in a dizzying array.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2025

The music seemed to levitate with the centrifugal force of rampaging bongos.

From New York Times ● Nov. 3, 2023

I faded off to sleep and dreamed of a kid stealing my legs and using them as bongos.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge