Word of the Day

: July 26, 2007

zydeco

noun ZYE-duh-koh

What It Means

: popular music of southern Louisiana that combines tunes of French origin with elements of Caribbean music and the blues and that features guitar, washboard, and accordion

zydeco in Context

Thanks to delicious food and live zydeco every night, the new restaurant is a big success.

Did You Know?

You might say that the lively form of music known as zydeco is full of beans, etymologically speaking. Legend has it that the word "zydeco" originated in the lyrics of Les Haricots Sont Pas Salés, a popular Cajun dance tune. Loosely translated, the song's title means "the beans are not salty," and when spoken in French Creole, "les haricots" (French for "beans") sounds something like "zydeco." "Zydeco" first appeared in print in 1960 and has been used to describe this kind of music ever since.