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noun

mambo

MAM-boh

Mambo (noun) means a lively Latin American dance and musical style that developed from the rumba in 1940s Cuba. Example: “They danced the mambo all night at the club.”

noun
1
A lively Latin American dance and musical style that developed from the rumba in 1940s Cuba.
"They danced the mambo all night at the club."
verb
1
To dance the mambo.
"The couple mamboed across the floor with ease."

How to use mambo

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA fast, rhythmic Latin dance style, or the act of dancing it.

Word forms

mamboed past tense, mambos plural, mamboes plural, mambos singular

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They danced the _____ all night at the club.

Etymology

From Haitian Creole manbo ("voodoo priestess"), later applied to the Cuban dance style via Cuban Spanish.

Origin: Spanish

Rhymes for mambo

See all rhymes for mambo →

Frequently asked questions

What does “mambo” mean?

The word “mambo” means a lively Latin American dance and musical style that developed from the rumba in 1940s Cuba. In plain terms, a fast, rhythmic Latin dance style, or the act of dancing it.

How do you pronounce “mambo”?

“Mambo” is pronounced MAM-boh (/ˈmɑmboʊ/ in IPA).

How do you use “mambo” in a sentence?

Here is “mambo” used in a sentence: “They danced the mambo all night at the club.”

What part of speech is “mambo”?

Depending on how it is used, “mambo” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “mambo” come from?

The word “mambo” comes from Spanish. From Haitian Creole manbo ("voodoo priestess"), later applied to the Cuban dance style via Cuban Spanish.

How many meanings does “mambo” have?

“Mambo” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a lively Latin American dance and musical style that developed from the rumba in 1940s Cuba.

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