conga
conga Lexical Profile
conga Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A tall, narrow, single-headed Afro-Cuban drum with a barrel-shaped body, typically played with the bare hands in Latin American and Caribbean music.
"The percussionist kept a steady, syncopated beat on the conga throughout the salsa performance."
A lively Latin American carnival and ballroom dance of Cuban origin, performed by people moving in a single-file winding line while taking three steps forward followed by a kick.
"By the end of the wedding reception, nearly all the guests had joined the lively conga around the dance floor."
• verb
To dance the conga, typically by moving in a single-file line with other dancers.
"The revelers congaed out of the ballroom and into the courtyard as the band played on."
• Rhymes for conga
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 1930s from Cuban Spanish conga, the feminine form of congo ('Congolese'), reflecting the Central African origins of the rhythm and drum.