samba
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a lively modern ballroom dance from Brazil in bouncy duple time
-
a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sambasimple
-
sambassimple
-
have sambaedperfect
-
has sambaedperfect
-
am sambaingprogressive
-
are sambaingprogressive
-
is sambaingprogressive
-
have been sambaingperfect progressive
-
has been sambaingperfect progressive
Past
-
sambaedsimple
-
had sambaedperfect
-
was sambaingprogressive
-
were sambaingprogressive
-
had been sambaingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of samba
First recorded in 1885; from Portuguese, of African origin, possibly Kongo semba, the name of a dance
Vocabulary lists containing samba
South America - Middle School
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South America - Introductory
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South America - High School
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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.
But on Sunday afternoon against Norway, that samba soccer met its match: a 6-foot-5 Viking warrior who has absolutely no time for anything fancy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026
The electrifying noise and colour of the pre-match now became solely samba and almost exclusively yellow.
From BBC • Jun. 25, 2026
Rio de Janeiro's annual carnival parade competition continued its tradition of vibrant dance and colour, with samba school Viradouro taking the crown for its tribute to its legendary drum director.
From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026
Paulinha Peixoto, 39, who leads the samba dancers, known for striking outfits and dizzying footwork, said putting on a show was "a team effort".
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
As my samba music filled the arena, the crowd began to clap in time with the beat.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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.
