Italian Giuba. a river in E Africa, flowing S from S Ethiopia through Somalia to the Indian Ocean. 1,000 miles (1,609 km) long.
the capital of South Sudan, on the White Nile.
a river in NE Africa, rising in S central Ethiopia and flowing south across Somalia to the Indian Ocean: the chief river of Somalia. Length: about 1660 km (1030 miles)
the capital of South Sudan, on the White Nile river. Pop: 250 000 (2006 est)
An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; of obscure origin
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The third movement, based on the juba, the African American dance replete with stomping and slapping the arms, was a juba, fast and a little erratic, not symphonically suave.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2022
The juba dance movement of Price’s Third features asymmetrical phrasing, rhythmic complexity and interaction between sections.
From New York Times ● Oct. 27, 2022
We see why when he leaves the organ and heads out into the studio audience with his sister Rose: After her solo, he performs a dance routine drawn from Africa, patting juba.
From New York Times ● Feb. 10, 2022
A spiritual, harmonically inventive composition, it climaxes with an allegretto apparently modelled after the African-American "juba" dance once practised on US plantations.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2021
Men lamented in joy and wailed in exultation, while others slapped juba upon their arms and thighs.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
In South Sudan, fans at public viewing centres in the the capital, Juba, were also backing Bafana Bafana.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
"Paris, Milan, London -- the fashion industry is dominated by South Sudanese boys and girls at the moment," said Doris Sukeji, founder of the Jubalicious modelling agency in the capital Juba.
From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026
Analysts believe the threats by the SPLA-IO forces to advance towards Juba with the aim of occupying it are meant to put pressure on the government to release Machar.
From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026
In response to questions about the episode in Juba, the senior State Department official denied it was a mistake or that Rubio’s review wasn’t careful.
From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2025
I was a little girl, not even six years old, when the happy days with my family in Juba disappeared forever.
From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau
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.
