Terminology
- Angola Traditional Capoeira; usually played slow and close to the ground
- Angoleiro Practitioner of the Capoeira Angola style
- Atabaque Drum
- Ataque Attacking move or movement initiative
- Axe Life force; energy of Capoeira
- Batizado Capoeira initiation ceremony; baptism
- Beriba Wood for making berimbau
- Berimbau One-stringed percussion instrument
- Besouro Famous capoeirista who had legendary Mandinga
- Bimba Famous deceased Capoeira Mestre; father of Capoeira Regional
- Cabaça Gourd resonator of the berimbau
- Capoeirista One who plays Capoeira
- Camará Comrade
- Caxixí Shaker played with the berimbau
- Corda Cord; Capoeira belt used to show advancement
- Corridos Call and response songs accompanying action in the circle
- Costas Back
- Defesa Defensive movement
- Dobrao Coin used to play the berimbau
- Esquiva Escape movement
- Fechado To be closed
- Fechar To close
- Frente Front
- Gunga Bass berimbau
- Hora Hour; time
- Jogador Player
- Jogo Game; a game of Capoeira
- Ladainha Introductory solo of roda or game, usually sung by a Mestre
- Maculêlê Stick fighting dance
- Malandragem Double-dealing or cunning
- Malandro Crook or streetwise person
- Malícia Deception, trickery, double-dealing
- Mandigueiro Tricky capoeira player
- Mangangá Sorcerer, healer in the Afro-Brazilian tradition
- Mar Ocean
- Medio Middle pitched berimbau
- Mestre Master, senior capoeira teacher
- Moleque Street urchin; punk
- Nome de Guerra Nickname given to a player in the course of his training, sometimes as part of a batizado initiation
- Pandeiro Tambourine
- Pastinha Famous deceased teacher of Capoeira Angola
- Patuá Amulet worn around the neck for protection
- Pé do Berimbau Position in front of the berimbau
- Reco-Reco Ribbed bamboo scraper
- Regional Modern style of Capoeira, associated with Mestre Bimba
- Roda Circle; circle made of people where Capoeira is played
- Salvador Capital city of Bahia; birthplace of Capoeira as we know it today
- Samba Brazilian rhythm and dance
- Sequencia Sequence of moves learned by players in Regional style
- Solta No hands; a jump (au solta)
- Tocar To touch; to play music
- Vadicao Loafing, hanging around; synonym for capoeira
- Vaqueta Stick used to strike the string of the berimbau
- Viola Highest pitched berimbau