montuno

English

Etymology

From Spanish montuno (literally “from the mountain”), referring to rural music.

Noun

montuno (plural montunos)

1. (music) The counterpoint in Cuban salsa music.
   • 1957, Jack Kerouac, On the Road, Viking Press, →OCLC:

     The piano montunos showered down on us from the speaker. The cries of the leader were like great gasps in the air.

   • 2007 February 19, William Neuman, “Amid Squeal of Trains at Times Square, Melody of a Store’s Rebirth”, in New York Times‎^[1]:

     “Harry was there to be able to tell us what is the difference between a guaracha and a mambo and what’s the montuno and who is really the top-notch danzón band,” she said.

Related terms

• son montuno

Spanish

Etymology

From monte +‎ -uno.

Adjective

montuno (feminine montuna, masculine plural montunos, feminine plural montunas)

1. (relational) highland, mountain
2. from the mountains

   Synonym: montés

3. (Latin America) rude, crude (not civilized)

   Synonyms: rústico, montaraz

Noun

montuno m (plural montunos)

1. (music) montuno

Further reading

• “montuno”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10