mambo

word

/ˈmɑmboʊ/
MAHM-boh
/mˈæmbəʊ/
MAM-boh

Definition

A lively Latin American dance of Cuban origin, performed to a specific rhythmic pattern. Also the music genre associated with this dance.

Usage & Nuances

"Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega (1999) is one of the most famous mambo-inspired pop songs. The mambo was hugely popular in the 1940s-50s in New York. Related to salsa and cha-cha. In Haitian Vodou, a "mambo" is a female priestess.

Example Sentences

"Mambo No. 5" became a worldwide hit, introducing a new generation to the rhythm.

natural

They danced the mambo at the Latin dance club.

basic

The mambo originated in Cuba in the 1930s.

basic

She learned the basic steps of the mambo in her dance class.

basic

The Palladium Ballroom in New York was the epicenter of the mambo craze in the 1950s.

natural

The band seamlessly blended jazz and mambo, creating something entirely fresh.

natural