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samba

American  
[sam-buh, sahm-] / ˈsæm bə, ˈsɑm- /

noun

plural

sambas

  1. a rhythmic, Brazilian ballroom dance of African origin.

verb (used without object)

sambaed, sambaing

  1. to dance the samba.

samba British  
/ ˈsæmbə /

noun

  1. a lively modern ballroom dance from Brazil in bouncy duple time

  2. a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (intr) to perform such a dance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of samba

First recorded in 1885; from Portuguese, of African origin, possibly Kongo semba, the name of a dance

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.

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

Some promote their own big-name DJs and music stars, which have drawn complaints and fines for drowning out the sounds of samba.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

Back in the actual 1990s, ice dancers cycled through traditional dances: samba, blues, polka, rumba, quickstep, tango, jive, paso doble, Viennese waltz.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

Watching the rehearsal, Adriano Santos, a 43-year-old social worker from the Rocinha favela, said the samba school was "being brave, innovative."

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 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.