A calypso is a song about a current subject, sung in a style which originally comes from the West Indies.
calypso in British English1
(kəˈlɪpsəʊ)
nounWord forms: plural-sos
1.
a popular type of satirical, usually topical, West Indian ballad, esp from Trinidad, usually extemporized to a percussive syncopated accompaniment
2.
a dance done to the rhythm of this song
Word origin
C20: probably from Calypso
calypso in British English2
(kəˈlɪpsəʊ)
nounWord forms: plural-sos
a rare temperate orchid of northern regions, Calypso (or Cytherea) bulbosa, whose flower is pink or white with purple and yellow markings
Word origin
C19: named after Calypso
Calypso in British English
(kəˈlɪpsəʊ)
noun
Greek mythology
(in Homer's Odyssey) a sea nymph who detained Odysseus on the island of Ogygia for seven years
Calypso in American English
(kəˈlɪpsoʊ)
noun
1.
in Homer's Odyssey, a sea nymph who keeps Odysseus on her island for seven years
2. Word forms: pluralCaˈlypsos [c-]
an orchid (Calypso bulbosa) growing in boggy regions of the Northern Hemisphere: its solitary pink flower has purple or yellow markings
Word origin
L < Gr Kalypsō < kalyptein: see UNRESOLVED CROSS REF
calypso in American English
(kəˈlɪpsoʊ)
adjective
1.
designating or of songs improvised and sung as originally by the native people of Trinidad: they are satirical ballads,usually topical, characterized by wrenched syllabic stress and syncopated rhythms
nounWord forms: pluralcaˈlypsos
2.
a calypso song or calypso music
Word origin
altered < ? Trinidad patois kaiso, town crier, who gave news in rhythm and doggerel
Examples of 'calypso' in a sentence
calypso
When the island people came in on a Saturday night, there was calypso and merengue in the Red Pepper and Spanish Danny's Juke Joint.
O'Connor, Joe DESPERADOES (2002)
Night following night the calypso music penetrating the walls.