zydeco

American  

[zahy-di-koh] / ˈzaɪ dɪˌkoʊ /

noun

1. a blues-influenced type of Cajun dance music popular in Louisiana and Texas, and usually played on accordion, guitar, and violin.

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zydeco British  

/ ˈzaɪdəˌkəʊ /

noun

1. a type of Black Cajun music

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Etymology

Origin of zydeco

1955–60, said to represent Louisiana French les haricots in the dance-tune title Les haricots sont pas salés

Explanation

Zydeco is a type of music you might hear if you spend time in Louisiana — it's fast and lively, primarily played on accordions, and extremely easy to dance to. Zydeco evolved from a traditional black Creole music sometimes called "la la music," influenced by African and Caribbean traditions as well as blues. It was invented to be dance and party music, incorporating energetic rhythms and portable instruments including fiddles and washboards as well as accordions. One guess about the etymology of zydeco attributes it to the Creole French phrase les haricots ne sont pas salés, literally "the snap beans aren't salty," and figuratively "times are hard."

Example Sentences

The zydeco band is a delight, with details in not just what instrument an animal plays but how they play it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2024

In New Orleans, he spends time with Jeffery Broussard of the Creole Cowboys, a zydeco player who embraces the genre’s localized working-class origins.

From Seattle Times • May 17, 2024

In it she blends marital strife, Louisiana’s zydeco, a phantom named Becky and more in a sonic and visual gumbo fans didn’t realize they were starving for.

From Washington Post • Feb. 6, 2023

A new score for the ride has also been written in the New Orleans zydeco style, which Disney emphasized as a key part of the new theme.

From Washington Times • Dec. 3, 2022

Music came from the bars, zydeco and high-tide blues.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi