fado

American  

[fah-doo, fah-doh] / ˈfɑ dʊ, ˈfɑ doʊ /

noun

1. a Portuguese folk song typically of doleful or fatalistic character and usually accompanied on the guitar.

2. a dance to the music of such a song.

---

fado British  

/ ˈfɑːdu /

noun

1. a type of melancholy Portuguese folk song

---

Etymology

Origin of fado

1900–05; < Portuguese < Latin fatum fate

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, the Romans lose all desire to fight upon hearing the melancholic "fado" Portuguese music.

From Barron's

Portuguese Catholic parishes and Portuguese halls — where weddings, festas and soulful fado concerts take place — dot the tiny towns that stretch from roughly Bakersfield to Redding.

From Los Angeles Times

She wandered the old city’s cobblestone streets, visited Belém Tower, rode the Santa Justa Lift and caught a fado performance while she was in town.

From Washington Post

To honour him, a stone plaque was placed on the walls of the National Pantheon in Lisbon, which houses the tombs of major personalities from well-known fado singer Amalia Rodrigues to footballer Eusebio.

From Reuters

She sings in the Portuguese fado tradition; she recruits a Cape Verdean choir to back her on a batuque-inspired number; she duets with the recorded voice of the Colombian singer Maluma.

From New York Times