cumbia

American  

[koom-bee-uh, koom-byah] / ˈkʊm bi ə, ˈkum bjɑ /

noun

1. a type of Latin American dance music of Colombian origin, similar to salsa and using guitars, accordions, bass guitar, and percussion.

2. a dance performed to this music.

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Etymology

Origin of cumbia

First recorded in 1860–65; from Latin American Spanish; origin uncertain

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cumbia

And the customers came, with Joel ringing up purchases as cumbia music played in the background.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026

But back at the camp in Los Azules, where cumbia music carries on the wind, Andres Carrizo is looking forward to a boom time.

From Barron's ● May 23, 2026

It opens with distorted drums and scratchy, warped synths before transforming, about a minute in, into a full-on cumbia track.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

The follow-up, 2022's Motomami, was a wildly innovative pop smash, twisting Latin American genres like cumbia and reggaeton around glitchy hip-hop beats and her playful, sinuous melodies.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2025

Now that he can walk, we dance together to cumbia tunes on the stereo—which, like the television, I’m not supposed to touch, but could operate blindfolded.

From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau

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