merengue
Americannoun
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a ballroom dance of Dominican and Haitian origin, characterized by a stiff-legged, limping step.
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the music for this dance.
verb (used without object)
noun
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a type of lively dance music originating in the Dominican Republic, which combines African and Spanish elements
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a Caribbean dance in duple time with syncopated rhythm performed to such music
Etymology
Origin of merengue
First recorded in 1880–90; from Latin American Spanish merengue, meringue, and probably a special use of Spanish merengue meringue ( def. ), but the semantic development is unclear
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.
Pulido said the video was a satire and the character was based on a scandal at the time involving merengue singer Elvis Crespo.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
The roof of the Jet Set club in the capital Santo Domingo caved in early on April 8, during a concert by merengue star Rubby Perez.
From Barron's • Nov. 8, 2025
It’s a genre that emerged from people combining hip-hop, dancehall reggae and all manner of Latin American genres, like salsa and merengue.
From Salon • Oct. 15, 2025
There’s no merengue in English because there’s no need for merengue in English.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2025
We take our food out to her stoop just as the grown-ups start dancing merengue, the women lifting their long dresses to show off their fast-moving feet, the men clapping and yelling, Baila!
From "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson
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.
