Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A style of popular Brazilian music derived from the samba but with more melodic and harmonic complexity and less emphasis on percussion.
  • noun A lively Brazilian dance that is similar to the samba.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A lively Brazilian dance that is similar to the samba; the music of that dance

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Portuguese : bossa, trend + nova, new.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Portuguese bossa nova ("new trend, new wave")

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Examples

  • Drinks are flowing, bossa nova's streaming from your fancy outdoor speakers.

    Your Guide for Summer Decorating Ideas 2011

  • But Ms. Gilberto—who is an artist-in-residence at City Winery this summer, with four more performances slated for August—has emerged from her family's shadow in the past 25 years by re-interpreting bossa nova's traditional motifs and layering its subtle guitar-based melodies with contemporary electronic sounds, strong percussion, even hip-hop.

    Gilberto Updates the Family Recipe Robert P. Walzer 2011

  • Sip one to the sounds of samba and bossa nova and let your introduction to the São Paulo scene begin. dalvaedito.com.br

    Feasts of São Paulo Katy McLaughlin 2012

  • Although the songs of Jobim and company now reside in the international pop-music vocabulary, Trio da Paz and company remind us that the bossa nova was jazz to begin with, and jazz it will always be.

    Making Musical Mischief Will Friedwald 2011

  • Mr. Valle's debut album, "Samba Demais," was released in Brazil in 1964 just as worldwide infatuation with bossa nova was surging.

    A Bossa Bigwig, Back From Brazil Marc Myers 2011

  • It illustrated that bossa nova's gentle restraint wasn't incompatible with the more raucous styles of contemporary pop.

    At Long Last, a Red Hot Return to Rio Martin Johnson 2011

  • He liked to hang out at the bar, have a martini, and take in an hour or so of bossa nova.

    Crystal Death Charles Kipps 2010

  • He liked to hang out at the bar, have a martini, and take in an hour or so of bossa nova.

    Crystal Death Charles Kipps 2010

  • He liked to hang out at the bar, have a martini, and take in an hour or so of bossa nova.

    Crystal Death Charles Kipps 2010

  • At once warm and cool, this twinkly bit of bossa nova is a highlight of The Wailin' Jennys

    USATODAY.com News 2011

Comments

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  • Bossa Nova is a style of Brazilian music popularized by Vinicius de Moraes, Antônio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto. Bossa Nova acquired a large following, initially by young musicians and college students. Although the Bossa Nova movement only lasted six years (1958-63), it contributed a number of songs to the standard jazz repertoire.

    _Wikipedia

    Excerpt from the lyrics to Blame It On the Bossa Nova by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil as performed by Eydie Gorme

    Blame it on the bossa nova with its magic spell

    Blame it on the bossa nova that he did so well

    Oh, it all began with just one little dance

    But then it ended up a big romance

    Blame it on the bossa nova

    The dance of love

    February 4, 2008

  • Bossa nova was a fad dance that corresponded to the bossa nova music. It was introduced in 1960 and faded out in the mid-sixties.

    Bossa nova music, soft and with sophisticated vocal rhythms and improvisations, is well suited for listening, but failed to become dance music, despite heavy promotion for it as yet another dance craze of 1960s.

    The style of basic dance steps suited the music, though. It was danced on soft knees that allowed for sideways sways with hip motions. It could be danced both solo and in pairs.

    There were about ten various simple step sentences published.

    _Wikipedia

    February 25, 2008