flamenco
noun
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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
Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 10 May 2024
The album will have a lot of romantic tracks, lots of exciting lyrics, some rock, some flamenco.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2024
When it was first announced, Funk Generation seemed like a powerhouse project that would unleash a baile tour de force in global pop, similar to what Rosalía did with flamenco in El Mal Querer.
—Felipe Maia, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2024
The scene cuts to what appears to be flamenco dancers putting on a show for tourists.
—Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
There is also the Spanish dancer, a slug in the form of a bright red wavy flamenco shawl.
—Helen Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024
The non-televised Premiere ceremony started, in a nod to the host city of Sevilla, with a lengthy homage to flamenco featuring performers Israel Fernández, Niña Pastori, Omar Montes, Juanfe Pérez and Diego Guerrero.
—Leila Cobo, Billboard, 16 Nov. 2023
So what might seem like improvements or expansions — elaborate group choreography, imaginative conceits — risk straying from the emotional core that makes flamenco flamenco.
—Brian Seibert, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024
In Florence, for example, travelers can attend an operatic evening at the Goldoni Theatre, and in Palma de Mallorca, passengers can experience flamenco dancing.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 May 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flamenco.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Flamenco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flamenco. Accessed 18 May. 2024.
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