rumba

American  

[ruhm-buh, room-, room-] / ˈrʌm bə, ˈrʊm-, ˈrum- /

Also rhumba

noun

plural

rumbas

1. a dance, Cuban in origin and complex in rhythm.

2. an imitation or adaptation of this dance in the United States.

3. music for this dance or in its rhythm.

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verb (used without object)

rumbaed, rumbaing

1. to dance the rumba.

rumba British  

/ ˈrʌmbə, ˈrʊm- /

noun

1. a rhythmic and syncopated Cuban dance in duple time

2. a ballroom dance derived from this

3. a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance

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Etymology

Origin of rumba

First recorded in 1910–15; from Latin American Spanish (Cuba): literally, “party; spree,” from Spanish rumbo “commotion, uproar,” earlier “ostentation, pomp”; further origin uncertain

Example Sentences

In his third year of a music degree, 26-year-old guitarist Daniel Lukusa reminisced about how much better the rumba played on repeat in his family home was.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

The museum is housed in the former home of rumba star Papa Wemba, who died in 2016.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

Back in the actual 1990s, ice dancers cycled through traditional dances: samba, blues, polka, rumba, quickstep, tango, jive, paso doble, Viennese waltz.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

However, he was not too fond of the emerging term, which seemed to cram different styles like mambo, charanga, rumba, guaracha and danzón into one single category.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 7, 2025

From son an abundant range of dance and song types blossomed: danzon, rumba, guaguanco, yambu, bossa nova, mambo, chachacha, conga, and eventually salsa.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall