conga
UK[ˈkɒŋɡə]US[ˈkɑːŋɡə]
n
a latin american dance of african origin, usually performed by people in a single line
n
a tall, narrow, low-pitched drum played with the hands
Etymology
the word 'conga' entered english from american spanish, where it referred to music and dance of african origin. the spanish term likely derives from 'congó', a term used in cuba to denote something or someone from the congo region of africa, reflecting the profound influence of enslaved central african peoples on cuban culture. the term was anglicized in the early 20th century, first naming the drum and subsequently the line dance that developed to its rhythm. thus, 'conga' linguistically maps the transatlantic journey of a cultural practice from africa to the caribbean and into global popular culture.
Analysis
this word is a loanword adopted as a single unit from spanish. it is not productively formed from smaller, meaningful english morphemes.
Examples
the parade featured dancers moving in a lively conga line.
he is a master at playing complex rhythms on the conga.
the party really started when the band struck up a conga.