noun
ska
skah
Ska (noun) means a style of upbeat Jamaican dance music from the late 1950s that blended Caribbean calypso with American jazz and R&B, and later evolved into rocksteady and reggae. Example: “The band played a lively set of classic ska tunes.”
noun
1
A style of upbeat Jamaican dance music from the late 1950s that blended Caribbean calypso with American jazz and R&B, and later evolved into rocksteady and reggae.
"Everyone who loves ska has their own story to tell—the first time they heard the Specials back in the '70s, the first time they danced onstage at a Toasters show in the '80s, the first time they saw the Skatalites perform in the '90s."
— Heather Augustyn, Preface (2014)
"The band played a lively set of classic ska tunes."
"Musical Hairsplitting: The act of classifying music and musicians into pathologically picayune categories: “The Vienna Franks are a good example of urban white acid folk revivalism crossed with ska.”"
— Douglas Coupland, Eat Your Parents (1991)
How to use ska
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn early Jamaican music genre that led to reggae, known for its upbeat, offbeat rhythm guitar.
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The band played a lively set of classic _____ tunes.
Etymology
Origin uncertain, possibly imitating the sharp, choppy sound of the guitar, or from a term coined by a Jamaican musician.
Frequently asked questions
What does “ska” mean?
The word “ska” means a style of upbeat Jamaican dance music from the late 1950s that blended Caribbean calypso with American jazz and R&B, and later evolved into rocksteady and reggae. In plain terms, an early Jamaican music genre that led to reggae, known for its upbeat, offbeat rhythm guitar.
How do you pronounce “ska”?
“Ska” is pronounced skah (/skɑː/ in IPA).
How do you use “ska” in a sentence?
Here is “ska” used in a sentence: “The band played a lively set of classic ska tunes.”
What part of speech is “ska”?
“Ska” is a noun.
