merengue
merengue Lexical Profile
merengue Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A lively, fast-paced ballroom and folk dance originating in the Dominican Republic, characterized by a two-step beat in which partners hold each other in a closed embrace and sway their hips while taking sideward steps.
"The instructors taught the beginners the basic side-to-side marching steps of the merengue."
A style of rhythmic Caribbean music in duple meter that accompanies this dance, traditionally performed with an accordion, a double-headed tambora drum, and a metal scraper called a güira.
"Upbeat merengue played from the street corner, drawing neighbors out onto their porches."
• verb
To perform or dance the merengue.
"Couples merengued across the crowded dance floor until late into the night."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'merengue', the lively Caribbean music and dance style, with 'meringue', the sweet confection made from whipped egg whites and sugar, though both share a related etymological root.
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from American Spanish merengue, which refers to both the dance and the whipped egg-white confection (comparable to French meringue), possibly named by comparison of the light, frothy dessert to the brisk, lively movements of the dance.