What does "bongo" mean?
A striped bovine mammal found in Africa, Tragelaphus eurycerus.
Bongo
/ˈbɑŋ.ɡoʊ/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A striped bovine mammal found in Africa, Tragelaphus eurycerus.
- Grammar: bongo is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: bongo antelope, bongo drum, bongos, boocercus eurycerus.
- Useful contrasts: nonpercussion instrument, silence.
- Usage evidence: He's banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee.
How to use "bongo"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "bongo" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "bongo" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "bongo" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "bongo" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "bongo" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bongo antelope" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "bongo", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A striped bovine mammal found in Africa, Tragelaphus eurycerus.
- 2 Either of a pair of small drums of Cuban origin, played by beating with the hands.
"He's banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee."
- 3 An ethnic group living at the eastern side of the Albert Nile River in northwestern Uganda and in neighbouring South Sudan in small, scattered settlements south and east of Wau. plural, plural-only
- 4 large forest antelope of central Africa having a reddish-brown coat with white stripes and spiral horns wordnet
- 5 An agricultural people of Gabon in equatorial Africa. plural, plural-only
Show 1 more definition
- 6 a small drum; played with the hands wordnet
Verb
- 1 To play the bongo drums. intransitive
- 2 Of the heart, etc.: to beat with an irregular rhythm. intransitive
- 3 To hit something rhythmically with the hands. transitive
Proper Noun
- 1 A Central Sudanic language spoken by the Bongo people in sparsely populated areas of Bahr al Ghazal in South Sudan.
- 2 A gewog of Chhukha District, Bhutan.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
nonpercussion instrumentsilence
Example
"He's banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "bongo"?
Common synonyms include: bongo antelope, bongo drum, bongos, boocercus eurycerus, drum, forest antelope.
How do you use "bongo" in a sentence?
He's banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee.
How do you pronounce "bongo"?
Pronounced /ˈbɑŋ.ɡoʊ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Spanish bongo.
Etymology 2
From United States Spanish bongó, from a Bantu language; probably Ekele boungu.