samba

noun, plural sam·bas.

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

verb (used without object), sam·baed, sam·ba·ing.

2. to dance the samba.

noun plural -bas

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

verb -bas, -baing or -baed

3. (intr) to perform such a dance

n.Brazilian dance of African origin, 1885, Zemba, from Portuguese samba, shortened form of zambacueca, a type of dance, probably altered (by influence of zamacueco “stupid”) from zambapalo, the name of a grotesque dance, itself an alteration of zampapalo “stupid man,” from zamparse “to bump, crash.” As a verb from 1949.