samba

See also: Samba

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Brazilian Portuguese samba, from a Bantu language. Doublet of semba.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsɑmbə/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑmbə

Noun

samba (countable and uncountable, plural sambas)

1. (dance) A Brazilian ballroom dance or dance style.
2. (music) A Brazilian musical genre, to which the aforementioned dance is danced, which has its roots in West Africa via the slave trade.
   • 1986, “La Isla Bonita”, in True Blue, performed by Madonna:

     And when the samba played, the sun would set so high / Ring through my ears and sting my eyes, your Spanish lullaby

   • 2007 September 20, Eric Wilson, “Blame It on Rio and Gisele”, in The New York Times‎^[1], archived from the original on 18 September 2020:

     They thought of, I don’t know, monkeys and caipirinhas and samba.”

   • 2022 February 7, Jonathan Blitzer, “How Caetano Veloso Revolutionized Brazil’s Sound and Spirit”, in The New Yorker‎^[2], →ISSN, archived from the original on 24 February 2022:

     Slavery was abolished in Brazil in 1888; until then, Bahia had been a major hub of the country’s slave trade. Samba started there for a reason—a fact that Veloso has returned to, obsessively, throughout his career. […] “A samba parade had turned into a brawl,” a reviewer wrote in the Times, adding that the music “suggested a more cool-headed, grown-up epilogue to the shocks of Tropicália.”

Derived terms

• sambadrome
• samba school
• samba whistle

Related terms

• sambista

Translations

Brazilian ballroom dance

• Armenian: սամբա (hy) (samba)
• Catalan: samba f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 桑巴舞 (sāngbāwǔ), 桑巴 (zh) (sāngbā), 森巴 (sēnbā) (Taiwan)

• Czech: samba (cs) f
• Finnish: samba (fi)
• French: samba (fr) f
• Georgian: სამბა (samba)
• German: Samba (de) m
• Greek: σάμπα (el) f (sámpa)
• Hungarian: szamba (hu)
• Italian: samba (it) f or m
• Japanese: サンバ (ja) (sanba)
• Polish: samba (pl) f
• Portuguese: samba (pt) m
• Russian: са́мба (ru) f (sámba)
• Spanish: samba (es) f
• Swedish: samba (sv) c
• Tagalog: samba
• Turkish: samba (tr)

Verb

samba (third-person singular simple present sambas, present participle sambaing, simple past and past participle sambaed)

1. (intransitive) To dance the samba.
   • 2022 February 7, Jonathan Blitzer, “How Caetano Veloso Revolutionized Brazil’s Sound and Spirit”, in The New Yorker‎^[3], →ISSN, archived from the original on 24 February 2022:

     In front of an audience, he tends to have a freer conversation with himself. The right conditions turn him into an extrovert. He sambas, in the Santo Amaro style.

Translations

Translations

• Portuguese: sambar (pt)

See also

• samba rice

Further reading

• samba on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• ambas, bamas

Aklanon

Etymology

Akin to Malay sembah and Tagalog simba.

Verb

samba

1. to worship

Central Bikol

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /samˈba/ [samˈba]
• Hyphenation: sam‧ba

Noun

sambá (Basahan spelling ᜐᜋ᜔ᜊ)

1. worship

Derived terms

• magsamba
• samba-samba
• sambahan
• sambahon

Related terms

• simba

Czech

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese samba.

Noun

samba f

1. samba (dance)

Declension

Declension of samba (hard feminine reducible)

	singular	plural
nominative	samba	samby
genitive	samby	sameb
dative	sambě	sambám
accusative	sambu	samby
vocative	sambo	samby
locative	sambě	sambách
instrumental	sambou	sambami

Further reading

• “samba”, in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu (in Czech)
• “samba”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Estonian

Noun

samba

1. genitive singular of sammas

Finnish

Etymology

From Portuguese samba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɑmbɑ/, [ˈs̠ɑ̝mbɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑmbɑ
• Syllabification^(key): sam‧ba
• Hyphenation^(key): sam‧ba

Noun

samba

1. samba

Declension

Inflection of samba (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		samba	sambat
genitive		samban	sambojen
partitive		sambaa	samboja
illative		sambaan	samboihin
		singular	plural
nominative		samba	sambat
accusative	nom.	samba	sambat
	gen.	samban
genitive		samban	sambojen sambain rare
partitive		sambaa	samboja
inessive		sambassa	samboissa
elative		sambasta	samboista
illative		sambaan	samboihin
adessive		samballa	samboilla
ablative		sambalta	samboilta
allative		samballe	samboille
essive		sambana	samboina
translative		sambaksi	samboiksi
abessive		sambatta	samboitta
instructive		—	samboin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of samba (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative sambani sambani accusative nom. sambani sambani gen. sambani genitive sambani sambojeni sambaini rare partitive sambaani sambojani inessive sambassani samboissani elative sambastani samboistani illative sambaani samboihini adessive samballani samboillani ablative sambaltani samboiltani allative samballeni samboilleni essive sambanani samboinani translative sambakseni samboikseni abessive sambattani samboittani instructive — — comitative — samboineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative sambasi sambasi accusative nom. sambasi sambasi gen. sambasi genitive sambasi sambojesi sambaisi rare partitive sambaasi sambojasi inessive sambassasi samboissasi elative sambastasi samboistasi illative sambaasi samboihisi adessive samballasi samboillasi ablative sambaltasi samboiltasi allative samballesi samboillesi essive sambanasi samboinasi translative sambaksesi samboiksesi abessive sambattasi samboittasi instructive — — comitative — samboinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative sambamme sambamme accusative nom. sambamme sambamme gen. sambamme genitive sambamme sambojemme sambaimme rare partitive sambaamme sambojamme inessive sambassamme samboissamme elative sambastamme samboistamme illative sambaamme samboihimme adessive samballamme samboillamme ablative sambaltamme samboiltamme allative samballemme samboillemme essive sambanamme samboinamme translative sambaksemme samboiksemme abessive sambattamme samboittamme instructive — — comitative — samboinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative sambanne sambanne accusative nom. sambanne sambanne gen. sambanne genitive sambanne sambojenne sambainne rare partitive sambaanne sambojanne inessive sambassanne samboissanne elative sambastanne samboistanne illative sambaanne samboihinne adessive samballanne samboillanne ablative sambaltanne samboiltanne allative samballenne samboillenne essive sambananne samboinanne translative sambaksenne samboiksenne abessive sambattanne samboittanne instructive — — comitative — samboinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative sambansa sambansa accusative nom. sambansa sambansa gen. sambansa genitive sambansa sambojensa sambainsa rare partitive sambaansa sambojaan sambojansa inessive sambassaan sambassansa samboissaan samboissansa elative sambastaan sambastansa samboistaan samboistansa illative sambaansa samboihinsa adessive samballaan samballansa samboillaan samboillansa ablative sambaltaan sambaltansa samboiltaan samboiltansa allative samballeen samballensa samboilleen samboillensa essive sambanaan sambanansa samboinaan samboinansa translative sambakseen sambaksensa samboikseen samboiksensa abessive sambattaan sambattansa samboittaan samboittansa instructive — — comitative — samboineen samboinensa

Derived terms

• sambata

compounds

• karnevaalisamba
• sambakarnevaali
• sambamusiikki
• sambaorkesteri
• sambatanssija

Further reading

• “samba”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[4] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese samba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɑ̃.ba/

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (file)

Noun

samba m (plural sambas)

1. samba (dance)

Further reading

• “samba”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Galician

Etymology

From Portuguese samba.

Noun

samba m or f (plural sambas)

1. samba

Further reading

• “samba”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026
• “samba”, in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (in Galician), 2014–2026

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese samba m.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsam.ba/
• Rhymes: -amba
• Hyphenation: sàm‧ba

Noun

samba f or (careful style) m (plural sambe f or (careful style) samba m) (music, dance)

1. samba

Further reading

• samba in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Italiot Greek

Days of the week

Previous:	prassaì
Next:	ciuriacì

Etymology

From Byzantine Greek *σάμβατον (*sámbaton), from Ancient Greek σάββατον (sábbaton), borrowed from Aramaic שַׁבְּתָא. Cognates include Greek Σάββατο (Sávvato).

Noun

samba n

1. Saturday

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Portuguese sambabor.

Polish samba

Borrowed from Portuguese samba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsam.ba/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -amba
• Syllabification: sam‧ba

Noun

samba f

1. samba

Declension

Declension of samba

	singular	plural
nominative	samba	samby
genitive	samby	samb
dative	sambie	sambom
accusative	sambę	samby
instrumental	sambą	sambami
locative	sambie	sambach
vocative	sambo	samby

Further reading

• “samba”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[5] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “samba”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[6] (in Polish)

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsɐ̃.bɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsɐ̃.bɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsɐ̃.ba/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈsɐ̃.bɐ/

• Audio (Brazil (Caipira)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɐ̃bɐ
• Hyphenation: sam‧ba

Etymology 1

Probably of Bantu origin, possibly Kongo semba (“belly-bump”), the name of a dance; if so, a doublet of semba. More at Samba.

Noun

samba m (plural sambas)

1. samba (Brazilian genre of music and dance)
   • 1963, “Mas Que Nada”, in Samba Esquema Novo, performed by Jorge Ben:

     Eu quero passar / Pois o samba está animado / O que eu quero é sambar.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Derived terms

• escola de samba
• samba de roda
• samba do crioulo doido
• samba-canção
• samba-exaltação
• sambar
• sambista
• sambódromo

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

samba

1. inflection of sambar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

References

• James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Samba”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC.
• “samba”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.

Further reading

• “samba”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “samba”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

South Slavey

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [sà.ᵐbà(ʔ)]
• Hyphenation: sam‧ba

Noun

samba (stem -samba-)

1. trout

Inflection

Possessive inflection of samba (-samba)

		singular	plural
1st person		sesamba	naxesamba
2nd person		nesamba
3rd person	1)	—	gisamba
	2)	mesamba	gosamba
4th person		yesamba
reflexive	sp.	ɂedesamba	kedesamba
	unsp.	desamba
reciprocal		—	ɂełesamba
indefinite		ɂesamba
areal		gosamba

¹⁾ Used when the subject is a group of human beings
and the object is singular.
²⁾ Used when the previous condition does not apply.

References

• Keren Rice (1989), A Grammar of Slave, Berlin, West Germany: Mouton de Gruyter, →ISBN, page 64

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese samba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsamba/ [ˈsãm.ba]
• Rhymes: -amba
• Syllabification: sam‧ba

Noun

samba f (plural sambas)

1. samba

Further reading

• “samba”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Etymology

From Portuguese samba.

Noun

samba c

1. samba

Declension

Declension of samba

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	samba	sambas
	definite	samban	sambans
plural	indefinite	sambor	sambors
	definite	samborna	sambornas

References

• “samba”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “samba”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “samba”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Malay sembah, possibly from Javanese ꦱꦼꦩ꧀ꦧꦃ (sembah), from Old Javanese sĕmbah, possibly from Old Khmer saṃbaḥ ~ sambaḥ; whence Khmer សំពះ (sɑmpĕəh). Doublet of simba.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /samˈba/ [sɐmˈba]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: sam‧ba

Noun

sambá (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜋ᜔ᜊ)

1. worship; adoration

   Synonym: pagsamba

2. spiritual belief

   Synonyms: sampalataya, pananampalataya, pagsasampalataya

Derived terms

• mananamba
• pagsamba
• pasambahin
• sambahan
• sambahin
• sambasamba
• sumamba

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English samba, from Brazilian Portuguese samba, from a Bantu language.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈsamba/ [ˈsam.bɐ]
• Rhymes: -amba
• Syllabification: sam‧ba

Noun

samba (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜋ᜔ᜊ)

1. samba (music and dance)

Further reading

• “samba”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018

Turkish

Etymology

Borrowed from French samba or from Brazilian Portuguese samba.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsam.ba/
• Hyphenation: sam‧ba

Noun

samba (definite accusative sambayı, plural sambalar)

1. samba

Further reading

• “samba”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “samba”, in Nişanyan Sözlük