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guajira

American  
[gwah-heer-uh, gwah-hee-rah] / gwɑˈhɪər ə, gwɑˈhi rɑ /

noun

guajiras plural
  1. a Cuban peasant dance with shifting rhythms.


Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

Etymology

Origin of guajira

First recorded in 1920–25; from Latin American Spanish (Cuba): literally, “peasant woman”

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.

Consider the track “Cuándo Olvidaré,” which transitions from Cuban guajira to salsa by way of a spare vocal sample from R&B musician H.E.R.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2023

I always took inspiration from reggaeton, bachata, dembow … but there are traditional sounds like la guajira and la rumba too.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2022

From Cuba came meringue, mambo, son, guajira, and charanga.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2016

This is wild, blenderized Antillean and South American forms: bits of guaracha, guajira, cumbia, mambo and Dominican meringue.

From New York Times • Apr. 30, 2010

Reyes rumbas come in no less than 24 varieties, including the son, guajira, guaracha, punto-guajiro, bolero, bemb�, Afro-Cuban, danz�n, danza and danzonette.

From Time Magazine Archive

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