bolero

[ buh-lair-oh, boh- ]

noun

, plural bo·le·ros.

1. a lively Spanish dance in triple meter.
2. the music for this dance.
3. a jacket ending above or at the waistline, with or without collar, lapel, and sleeves, worn open in front.

bolero

/ bəˈlɛərəʊ /

noun

1. a Spanish dance, often accompanied by the guitar and castanets, usually in triple time
2. a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance
3. alsoˈbɒlərəʊ a kind of short jacket not reaching the waist, with or without sleeves and open at the front: worn by men in Spain and by women elsewhere

Word History and Origins

Origin of bolero¹

Borrowed into English from Spanish around 1780–90

Word History and Origins

Origin of bolero¹

C18: from Spanish; perhaps related to bola ball

Example Sentences

The song flutters with the levity of a bolero.

From Los Angeles Times

But Alejandro is attempting to reinterpret mariachi con románticas for a new, younger crowd much like Luis Miguel, who reintroduced American audiences to bolero, Cristian Castro with his blend of Latin ballad, or Christian Nodal, who mixed mariachi and norteño music.

From Los Angeles Times

Aguilar also became a huge concert attraction across the Americas with a gentlemanly vocal style that harks back to 20th century Mexico — an intoxicating blend of jubilant ranchera and misty bolero pathos.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2012, she released “Mujer Divina,” a groundbreaking record that paid tribute to Mexico’s bolero king Agustín Lara through modern interpretations of his most popular love ballads.

From Los Angeles Times

Dudamel’s clockwork sophistication was better suited to the concert’s closer, Ravel’s beloved “Boléro,” in which he methodically developed tonal richness, sculpted the sound and dialed up the intensity over the piece’s 15-minute span.

From New York Times