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Definition of maraca

maraca

/məˈrɑːkə/
ma · ra · ca
Plural:maracas
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maraca Lexical Profile

maraca Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A percussion instrument consisting of a hollow gourd or gourd-shaped container filled with dried beans, pebbles, or seeds, which is shaken to produce rhythm, commonly used in Latin American and Caribbean music.

Example

"The salsa band's rhythm section featured a lively beat driven by the congas and maracas."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for maraca

Word Nuance & Usage

While it is a singular countable noun, the word is overwhelmingly used in its plural form ('maracas'), as the instrument is traditionally played in pairs.

• Rhymes for maraca

• Nearby Words

mara
mara river
marabou
maraca
maracaibo
marang
maranon

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Portuguese 'maracá', which traces back to the Tupi word 'maraka' or the closely related Guarani word 'mbaraka', referring to a traditional gourd rattle.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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