variants
or less commonly rhumba
: a ballroom dance of Cuban origin in ²/₄ or ⁴/₄ time with a basic pattern of step-close-step and marked by a delayed transfer of weight and pronounced hip movements
also
: the music for this dance
Examples of rumba in a Sentence
The band played a rumba.
Recent Examples on the Web
The compilation ranges from the 1970s to the present day, taking in Congolese rumba and soukous, township bubblegum, Zambian kalindula, and more.
—
Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2024
But every night, no matter the circumstances, the percussive sounds of rumba filled her childhood home.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
Robert tells her, which kicks off a farcical race to the necklace, with both of them attempting to navigate a rumba to get their hands on Norma’s jewels.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2024
There was lots of dry humping because that happens in the rumba.
—Dory Jackson, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rumba 
Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2024
But every night, no matter the circumstances, the percussive sounds of rumba filled her childhood home.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2024
Robert tells her, which kicks off a farcical race to the necklace, with both of them attempting to navigate a rumba to get their hands on Norma’s jewels.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2024
There was lots of dry humping because that happens in the rumba.
—Dory Jackson, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rumba
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rumba.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rumba
Cite this Entry
“Rumba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rumba. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rumba
noun
rum·ba
ˈrəm-bə 
ˈru̇m-
: a dance of Cuban origin
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