bossa nova
noun
bos·sa no·va
ˌbä-sə-ˈnō-və 
1
: popular music of Brazilian origin that is rhythmically related to the samba but with complex harmonies and improvised jazzlike passages
2
: a dance performed to bossa nova music
Examples of bossa nova in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the 1970s and ’80s, there were more albums and experiments with jazz and bossa nova styles.
—
Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 12 June 2024
She’s followed by vocalist Kenya Moses focusing on bossa nova (noon) and an African heritage drum workshop (1 p.m.).
—Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 11 June 2024
The former is a musical triptych that blends bossa nova influences with blaring synths, further exploring the conflicting feelings of self-preservation and self-sacrifice.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 21 May 2024
The pop star followed up the birthday post with more pictures from her dinner, this time, with video of all the guests in attendance forming a conga line and dancing in a backyard with her closest pals, as jazzy bossa nova plays in the background.
—Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 23 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for bossa nova 
Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 12 June 2024
She’s followed by vocalist Kenya Moses focusing on bossa nova (noon) and an African heritage drum workshop (1 p.m.).
—Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 11 June 2024
The former is a musical triptych that blends bossa nova influences with blaring synths, further exploring the conflicting feelings of self-preservation and self-sacrifice.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 21 May 2024
The pop star followed up the birthday post with more pictures from her dinner, this time, with video of all the guests in attendance forming a conga line and dancing in a backyard with her closest pals, as jazzy bossa nova plays in the background.
—Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 23 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for bossa nova
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bossa nova.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near bossa nova
Cite this Entry
“Bossa nova.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bossa%20nova. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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