bossa nova
Americannoun
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jazz-influenced music of Brazilian origin, rhythmically related to the samba.
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a dance performed to this music.
noun
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a dance similar to the samba, originating in Brazil
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a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance
Etymology
Origin of bossa nova
1960–65; < Portuguese: literally, new tendency, leaning
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Oganesson” is constructed around his delicate strummed riff, which recalls the ease of bossa nova, and it has an airiness and jazziness not found elsewhere on the record.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025
But critics have lavished praise on the record, calling it a "jaw-dropping" and "brutal" act of "personal exorcism", while praising Allen's gift for melody, on songs that span flamenco, bossa nova, and "infectious pop".
From BBC • Oct. 24, 2025
Lafourcade emerged on the scene in 2002 with her self-titled debut album, a fusion of rock en español, pop, jazz and bossa nova that produced hits like “En el 2000” and “Busca un Problema.”
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2024
It will be set to a new version of Tchaikovsky’s familiar score, mixed with vibrant Latin jazz, bossa nova and Cuban folk.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 4, 2024
From son an abundant range of dance and song types blossomed: danzon, rumba, guaguanco, yambu, bossa nova, mambo, chachacha, conga, and eventually salsa.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
