bossa nova
noun
bos·sa no·va
ˌbä-sə-ˈnō-və 
1
: popular music of Brazilian origin that is rhythmically related to the samba but with complex harmonies and improvised jazzlike passages
2
: a dance performed to bossa nova music
Examples of bossa nova in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By injecting the song with a bossa nova cadence, Laufey made the Carey standard her own while remaining true to its core.
—
Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
And then there’s his fascinating key signatures, and chord changes, and the influence of Brazilian bossa nova.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
While Bad Bunny’s previous albums also fused different genres — including bossa nova, mambo, rock, merengue and more — this album’s melange was more homegrown.
—Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
That’s fair, for in many ways Venables’s music — with its operatic heights and meditative chants, its detours from classical through bossa nova and Irish jig — is the soul of the thing, revealed in all its richness and variety by the hugely gifted ensemble.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
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Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
And then there’s his fascinating key signatures, and chord changes, and the influence of Brazilian bossa nova.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
While Bad Bunny’s previous albums also fused different genres — including bossa nova, mambo, rock, merengue and more — this album’s melange was more homegrown.
—Maria Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
That’s fair, for in many ways Venables’s music — with its operatic heights and meditative chants, its detours from classical through bossa nova and Irish jig — is the soul of the thing, revealed in all its richness and variety by the hugely gifted ensemble.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bossa nova
Cite this Entry
“Bossa nova.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bossa%20nova. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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