bongo: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2informal/specialist
Quick answer
What does “bongo” mean?
A tall, single-headed drum played with the hands, usually one of a pair of different-sized drums attached together.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A tall, single-headed drum played with the hands, usually one of a pair of different-sized drums attached together.
A type of antelope found in central Africa; also used colloquially to refer to playing the bongo drums.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage between UK and US English.
Connotations
Both varieties associate bongos with Latin music, jazz, or counterculture.
Frequency
Equally rare in both varieties as a lexical item.
Grammar
How to Use “bongo” in a Sentence
play + [the] bongoslisten to + [the] bongoshear + [the] bongosVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bongo” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He started to bongo along with the radio tune.
- They were bongoing all night at the festival.
American English
- She loves to bongo when she hears Latin music.
- He was bongoing on the table during the meeting.
adverb
British English
- He played bongo-style throughout the piece.
- The music went bongo-fast.
American English
- She danced bongo-enthusiastically to the rhythm.
- He tapped bongo-quickly on the surface.
adjective
British English
- The bongo rhythm filled the room.
- He has a bongo style of playing.
American English
- That bongo beat is infectious.
- She attended a bongo workshop.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used except in music industry contexts.
Academic
Used in ethnomusicology or African studies.
Everyday
Casual reference to musical instrument or animal.
Technical
Specific terminology in musicology or zoology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bongo”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bongo”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bongo”
- Using 'bongo' as singular for the instrument pair (should be 'bongos')
- Confusing with 'conga' (different type of drum)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the instrument is typically referred to as 'bongos' since they come in pairs, though you can refer to one drum as 'a bongo'.
Bongos are smaller, higher-pitched drums played in pairs while seated, held between the knees. Congas are larger, deeper-toned drums usually played standing up, often in sets of two or more.
Yes, informally 'to bongo' means to play bongo drums or to tap rhythmically on a surface.
They're primarily associated with Latin American music (salsa, rumba), Afro-Cuban jazz, and sometimes in folk and world music.
A tall, single-headed drum played with the hands, usually one of a pair of different-sized drums attached together.
Bongo is usually informal/specialist in register.
Bongo: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɒŋ.ɡəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɑːŋ.ɡoʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bongo fury (colloquial term for wild, percussive energy)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
BONGO = Beat On Narrow GOblet (describing the drum's shape and playing action).
Conceptual Metaphor
RHYTHM IS A HEARTBEAT (bongos provide rhythmic pulse)
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of bongo drums?