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zouk

noun
\ ˈzük How to pronounce zouk (audio) \

Definition of zouk

: a form of French West Indian music blending African rhythms, reggae, calypso, and electronic dance music

Examples of zouk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 The more traditional classic ones are compas — that genre is zouk, like Caribbean music, but really romantic dance music, a slower tempo that’s very popular around the Caribbean and Haiti. — Raisa Bruner, Time, "Haitian DJ Michael Brun Is Bringing His Island's Sounds to the World," 11 May 2018 Roseau Inaugurated in 1997, the World Creole Music Festival celebrates French-Caribbean genres including Dominica's indigenous lilting cadence-lypso and propulsive bouyon, zouk from neighboring Guadeloupe and Martinique and Haitian kompa. — Patricia Meschino, Billboard, "7 Caribbean Music Festivals That Get It Right," 26 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'zouk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of zouk

1986, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for zouk

Lesser Antillean French Creole, literally, dance party, dance, probably alteration of mazouk French Caribbean ballroom and club dance of the earlier 20th century, alteration of French mazurka mazurka

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Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with zouk

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