What does "boogaloo" mean?
A genre of music that blends rhythm and blues and soul music with Cuban-style rhythms, originating in the United States in the 1960s.
Boogaloo
/ˈbuːɡəˌluː/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A genre of music that blends rhythm and blues and soul music with Cuban-style rhythms, originating in the United States in the 1960s.
- Grammar: boogaloo is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: dance, hustle, jig.
- Usage evidence: Most hip Gothamites now trying to get rhythmic understanding between arms, legs and sacroiliac in order to get in on the Boogaloo dance craze.
How to use "boogaloo"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "boogaloo" 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
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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 "boogaloo" in a final draft.
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Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
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Check whether "boogaloo" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 A genre of music that blends rhythm and blues and soul music with Cuban-style rhythms, originating in the United States in the 1960s. uncountable
- 2 A style of dance to this music, popular in the 1960s. countable, uncountable
"Most hip Gothamites now trying to get rhythmic understanding between arms, legs and sacroiliac in order to get in on the Boogaloo dance craze."
- 3 A piece of music, or an instance of dancing, in or of this style. countable
"Basie played boogie-woogie, and Ellington boleros and boogaloos. To see the Marsalis faction rap a standard or breakdance before the blues would bring them full-circle, in full embrace, […]"
- 4 A type of freestyle, improvisational street dance incorporating soulful steps and robotic movements, originally danced to funk and disco, but later more commonly to hip-hop. countable, uncountable
- 5 A sequel or repetition of events, etc. Often used to mock a lack of creativity. Internet, countable, humorous, uncountable
"“Felix, I—” “Kate, come on,” he begged. “We're a team, sleuth times two, boogaloo. We can do it.”"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A hypothetical second American Civil War, in which far-right or antigovernment activists rise up against the government. Internet, US, countable, uncountable
"Today, boogaloo has seeped out of the gaming community and found fertile ground in militant fringe movements. That includes anarchists and others on the far left. But it's especially popular among right-wing militias and self-described patriot groups."
- 7 A black person. countable, dated, derogatory, possibly, uncountable
"A naked savage in one mud village quarrels with another savage, as naked and as black as himself, in the next mud village. They quarrel about Boo-Galoo's chickens scratching up Gaw-Balaw's melon seed, or about Gaw-Balaw's hogs rooting in Boo-Galoo's yam patch (1935)."
Verb
- 1 To dance in this style. intransitive
"She would have screamed in the judge's face, getting her man ninety years and a day. "You two boogaloo like an old married couple," I tell them after they've danced stiffly for a few minutes."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Most hip Gothamites now trying to get rhythmic understanding between arms, legs and sacroiliac in order to get in on the Boogaloo dance craze."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "boogaloo"?
Common synonyms include: dance, hustle, jig.
How do you use "boogaloo" in a sentence?
Most hip Gothamites now trying to get rhythmic understanding between arms, legs and sacroiliac in order to get in on the Boogaloo dance craze.
How do you pronounce "boogaloo"?
Pronounced /ˈbuːɡəˌluː/.
Etymology
Attested as a style of dance since at least January 1966 (and found in the titles of many songs around that time), perhaps from boogie (for the ending, compare crackaloo, hullabaloo). (Compare Spanish bugalú, the Spanish name for the style of music and dance.) Kent Harris used the stage name "Boogaloo" in the 1950s. The sense "sequel or repetition" refers to the title of Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984), a sequel which was considered to be so bad it became a cult classic. Compare the sense "black person" to boogalee, a term for a Cajun, attested since 1960 or earlier.