samba

Where does the word "samba" come from? It comes from Kimbundu semba, passing through Portuguese before entering English (1900s).

Samba’s story begins in Kimbundu: semba meant “a navel-touching dance movement.” A term for a traditional Angolan dance movement. By 1800s-1900s, the word had taken hold in Portuguese as samba. Developed in Brazil among Afro-Brazilian communities into a music and dance genre. It reached English by 1900s as samba. Rio de Janeiro's samba schools parade at Carnival; 'Pelo Telefone' (1917) was the first recorded samba. Today, samba means a lively Brazilian dance and music style, closely associated with Carnival.

1. Stage 1 · Kimbundu · ancient semba "a navel-touching dance movement", a term for a traditional Angolan dance movement.
2. Stage 2 · Portuguese · 1800s-1900s samba "a Brazilian music and dance style", developed in Brazil among Afro-Brazilian communities into a music and dance genre.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1900s samba "a lively Brazilian dance and music style", Rio de Janeiro's samba schools parade at Carnival; 'Pelo Telefone' (1917) was the first recorded samba.