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
They were inspired by the protean roots of samba, the silky vibe of the bossa nova, and the jangly wave of Brazilian pop-rock known as jovem guarda.
—
Ernesto Lechner, SPIN, 10 Sep. 2024
Sérgio Mendes, the Brazilian musician renowned for bringing bossa nova music to a global audience starting in the ’60s, has died.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2024
Sérgio Mendes, the Brazilian composer, arranger and pianist whose melding of his native country’s traditional music with ’60s-vintage American pop, bossa nova, samba, funk and hints of cool jazz became one of the decade’s most beloved and popular sounds, died peacefully Thursday in Los Angeles.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2024
The combination of Vail’s clever camera moves and the catchy bossa nova tune helped turn the short musical sketch into a hit online.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bossa nova 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ernesto Lechner, SPIN, 10 Sep. 2024
Sérgio Mendes, the Brazilian musician renowned for bringing bossa nova music to a global audience starting in the ’60s, has died.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2024
Sérgio Mendes, the Brazilian composer, arranger and pianist whose melding of his native country’s traditional music with ’60s-vintage American pop, bossa nova, samba, funk and hints of cool jazz became one of the decade’s most beloved and popular sounds, died peacefully Thursday in Los Angeles.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2024
The combination of Vail’s clever camera moves and the catchy bossa nova tune helped turn the short musical sketch into a hit online.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bossa nova
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 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share