lambada

American  

[lahm-bah-duh, ‑dah] / lɑmˈbɑ də, ‑dɑ /

noun

plural

lambadas

1. a Brazilian ballroom dance for couples, with gyrating movements and close interlocking of the partners.

2. music for this dance.

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lambada British  

/ læmˈbɑːdə /

noun

1. an erotic dance, originating in Brazil, performed by two people who hold each other closely and gyrate their hips in synchronized movements

2. the music that accompanies the lambada, combining salsa, calypso, and reggae

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Etymology

Origin of lambada

1985–90; < Brazilian Portuguese; Portuguese: a whipping, equivalent to lamb ( ar ) to whip, lash + -ada -ade ¹

Example Sentences

So basically we had a bizarre scene of us dancing around to an imaginary lambada at the training ground.

From The Guardian • Nov. 17, 2012

More recent offerings like the achy-breaky and the lambada held no appeal for me: one brought to mind the phrase “ratty mullet”; the other, “pelvic wallop.”

From New York Times • Jan. 11, 2012

And now, according to TMZ.com, Chad Ochocinco is the next to tango, mambo and lambada his way into a largely female demographic.

From Newsweek • Mar. 1, 2010

Throw those pretty boys back into the junkyard of pop, along with disco, the lambada and the funky chicken.

From Time Magazine Archive

Western pop culture -- from rock music to lambada dancing -- has invaded the cities.

From Time Magazine Archive