flamenco

noun

fla·men·co flə-ˈmeŋ-(ˌ)kō

plural flamencos

: a vigorous rhythmic dance style of the Andalusian Gypsies

also : a dance in flamenco style

: music or song suitable to accompany a flamenco dance

Did you know?

The Spanish word flamenco means “Flemish,” and its later usage in the sense “Gypsy-like,” especially in reference to a song, dance, and guitar-music style, has inspired a number of hypotheses about why the word flamenco came to be associated with Gypsies; however, all of these theories seem implausible. Perhaps more promisingly, in the later 19th century flamenco also meant “jaunty, cocky” and, in reference to women, “provocatively attractive,” The suggestion has been made that “Gypsylike” is a secondary development from these senses. The ordinary Spanish word for “Gypsy” is gitano, which like the English Gypsy, is altered from a word meaning “Egyptian.”

Examples of flamenco in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The story came, however, with Cortés, the rising star of Spain’s flamenco scene. —

John Hopewell, Variety, 17 Sep. 2024 Virtually all the music the world considers canonical took shape in these recordings of the late 1920s—Havana’s son, Rio’s samba, New Orleans’ jazz, Buenos Aires’ tango, Seville’s flamenco, Cairo’s tarab, Johannesburg’s marabi, Jakarta’s kroncong, and Honolulu’s hula. —

Michael Denning, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2015 Each room has a different artistic interpretation of a dancer – the hotel is named after a barefoot style of flamenco. —

William Leigh, theweek, 16 Dec. 2024 The whimsical ambiance continues inside with chandeliers, trailing pothos plants, and a mural of flamenco dancers. —

Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for flamenco