bongo

¹

[bong-goh, bawng-]

noun

plural

bongos ,

plural

bongo .

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

bongo

²

[bong-goh, bawng-]

noun

plural

bongos, bongoes 

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

Bongo

¹

/ ˈbɒŋɡəʊ /

noun

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

bongo

²

/ 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

bongo

³

/ ˈbɒŋɡəʊ /

noun

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

Other Word Forms

• bongoist noun

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of Bongo¹

of African origin

Origin of Bongo²

American Spanish, probably of imitative origin

Example Sentences

Woburn Safari Park described the eastern mountain bongo calf's birth as hugely important for global conservation.

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He was equally compelling on acoustic guitar for Jane’s trademark lyrically and musically poignant true tale “Jane Says,” backed by bongos and steel drums.

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More than a decade later, there are no bongos or essential oils at L.A.’s latest wave of death cafes and, most noticeably, their attendees skew younger.

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It has some of the fewer than 100 remaining critically endangered mountain bongos in the world, alongside rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards and others.

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Kenya’s benga and Tanzania’s bongo flava reverberate across dance floors in East Africa, just as fuji and high life do in West Africa.

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