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Definition of mambo

mambo

/ˈmɑːm.boʊ/
mam · bo
Plural:mambos
•
Past Simple:mamboed
•
Past Participle:mamboed
•
Present Participle:mamboing
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mambo Lexical Profile

mambo Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A Latin American ballroom dance of Cuban origin, characterized by a syncopated four-beat rhythm and lively hip movements, or the music composed for it.

Example

"The band struck up a lively mambo that quickly filled the dance floor."

2

A priestess in the Haitian Vodou religion who leads rituals, healing ceremonies, and spiritual consultations.

Example

"The community gathered in the courtyard as the mambo prepared the ceremonial offerings."

• verb

1

To perform the mambo dance.

Example

"Couples mamboed across the ballroom until late into the night."

• Rhymes for mambo

• Nearby Words

mam
mama
mamba
mambo
mamey
mamie
mamma

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Cuban Spanish mambo in the 1940s, ultimately of Bantu origin (compare Kikongo mambo, meaning 'matters' or 'conversations with the gods'). The sense of a Haitian Vodou priestess entered English via Haitian Creole from Fon.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Mambo. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/mambo
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