cha-cha

American  

[chah-chah] / ˈtʃɑˌtʃɑ /

Also cha-cha-cha

noun

cha-chas plural

1. a fast ballroom dance of Latin American origin, similar to the mambo, that follows a rhythmic pattern based upon a quick three-step movement.

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verb (used without object)

cha-chas, present (3rd person singular) cha-chaed, past participle, past cha-chaing present participle

1. to dance the cha-cha.

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• cha-chas
  plural

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has cha-chaed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have cha-chaed
  perfect
• has been cha-chaing
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is cha-chaing
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am cha-chaing
  progressive 1st person singular
• cha-chaing
  participle
• have been cha-chaing
  perfect progressive
• cha-chas
  singular 3rd person
• are cha-chaing
  progressive

Past

• had cha-chaed
  perfect
• were cha-chaing
  progressive plural
• had been cha-chaing
  perfect progressive
• was cha-chaing
  progressive singular
• cha-chaed
  simple
• cha-chaed
  participle

Future

• will cha-cha
  simple
• will have cha-chaed
  perfect
• will be cha-chaing
  progressive
• will have been cha-chaing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of cha-cha

First recorded in 1950–55; from Latin American Spanish (Cuban) cha-cha-cha, probably imitative of the musical accompaniment

Example Sentences

Myllyaho also recognised the value of leaning into Finland's eccentricity, with Käärijä's rave metal anthem Cha Cha Cha becoming the breakout hit of Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

Chef Doron Wong at New York’s Cha Cha Tang says he experimented with the Peking-style preparation but found that it didn’t do the bird justice, noting that it ended up tasting more like ham.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

It’s called Cha Cha Chicken, and is by far, my favorite restaurant in L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2025

And she mentioned that on one occasion, Sergienko approached the previous city attorney, Mike Feuer, at a Cha Cha Chicken restaurant.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2023

So then came Cha Cha Jimenez, a cat from Chicago.

From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez