sambista

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablemusic

   A person who performs or writes samba music, especially in Brazil.

   Grammar: Countable; the plural is also 'sambista' or occasionally 'sambistas' in English texts.

   Patterns

   • a sambista from Rio
   • the sambista's song
   • famous sambista

   The sambista played a slow, mournful tune on his cavaquinho.

   She became a respected sambista after years of singing in local bars.

   Many sambistas gather in Rio during Carnival to perform together.

2. 2nouncountablemusic

   A composer or songwriter who specializes in samba.

   Grammar: Countable; often used with 'a' or in the plural to refer to a group of composers.

   Patterns

   • a sambista who wrote
   • the sambista's lyrics
   • young sambistas

   The sambista wrote dozens of songs that became classics.

   He was a sambista before he became a famous singer.

   A new generation of sambistas is keeping the tradition alive.

Word forms

Common combinations

famous sambista

A famous sambista was invited to open the festival.

sambista from Rio

The sambista from Rio brought a large following to the show.

sambista's music

The sambista's music mixes traditional rhythms with modern sounds.

young sambista

The young sambista impressed the audience with her voice.

sambista and composer

He is both a sambista and composer, writing all his own material.

Synonyms and how they differ

samba musician

A broader term that can include instrumentalists who do not compose; 'sambista' often implies a deeper connection to the samba tradition.

samba singer

Focuses on singing rather than composing or playing; a sambista may do any of these.

Word family

samba noun

The Brazilian dance and music style itself.

samba verb

To dance the samba.

Commonly confused: sambista or samba?

Practice

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