milonga

The story

1. Brazilian Portuguese · derived frommilonga“chant”
2. Spanish · borrowed frommilonga
3. English todaymilonga

Borrowed from Spanish milonga, in turn from Brazilian Portuguese milonga (“chant”). Theories connect the word to the nineteenth century slave trade between South America and Africa. The ultimate source is unknown, but may relate to Kimbundu mulonga (“word”), or Kongo nlonga or Punu mulonga (“line, row”) in reference to dancers.