noun
conga
KONG-guh
noun
1
A tall, narrow hand drum of Cuban origin, played with the hands.
"The percussionist added rhythm with a set of congas."
2
A Cuban dance in which participants form a line, each holding the person in front, moving with a shuffle-step and a kick.
"By midnight the whole wedding party had joined the conga."
verb
1
To dance in this snaking, single-file line.
"Everyone conga'd out of the hall at the end of the party."
How to Use Conga
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the drum or the line-dance associated with Cuban carnival music.
Common pairings
conga line
play the congas
Word Forms
congaed past tense, congas plural, congas singular
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Etymology
From Spanish (danza) conga, "Congo dance", named for its sub-Saharan African roots.