rhumba

noun, plural rhum·bas [ruhm-buh z, roo m-, room-] /ˈrʌm bəz, ˈrʊm-, ˈrum-/, verb (used without object), rhum·baed [ruhm-buh d, roo m-, room-] /ˈrʌm bəd, ˈrʊm-, ˈrum-/, rhum·ba·ing [ruhm-buh-ing, roo m-, room-] /ˈrʌm bə ɪŋ, ˈrʊm-, ˈrum-/.

1. rumba.

noun, plural rum·bas [ruhm-buh z, roo m-, room-] /ˈrʌm bəz, ˈrʊm-, ˈrum-/.

1. a dance, Cuban in origin and complex in rhythm.
2. an imitation or adaptation of this dance in the U.S.
3. music for this dance or in its rhythm.

verb (used without object), rum·baed [ruhm-buh d, roo m-, room-] /ˈrʌm bəd, ˈrʊm-, ˈrum-/, rum·ba·ing [ruhm-buh-ing, roo m-, room-] /ˈrʌm bə ɪŋ, ˈrʊm-, ˈrum-/.

4. to dance the rumba.

noun plural -bas

1. a variant spelling of rumba

noun

1. a rhythmic and syncopated Cuban dance in duple time
2. a ballroom dance derived from this
3. a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance

n.

1919, from Cuban Spanish rumba, originally “spree, carousal,” derived from Spanish rumbo “spree, party,” earlier “ostentation, pomp, leadership,” perhaps originally “the course of a ship,” from rombo “rhombus,” in reference to the compass, which is marked with a rhombus. The verb is recorded from 1932. Related: Rumbaed; rumbaing.