What does combo mean?
Combo is an informal English noun denoting a combination: two or more items grouped, sold, or presented as a single unit. Its most familiar modern use is commercial — a fast-food 'combo meal' that bundles a main dish with sides and a drink — but the word also has a long-standing place in music, where a combo is a small band, typically playing jazz or dance music with just a few musicians. In video games and combat sports, a combo refers to a rapid sequence of linked moves or attacks executed without interruption. The word carries a casual, contemporary tone and appears constantly in menus, advertisements, and everyday conversation, though formal writing generally prefers the fuller term 'combination'. Shortened from 'combination', it reflects a broader pattern of clipped English words and remains useful precisely because it compresses a common idea into one snappy syllable pair.
nounA combination of two or more things, especially a set meal, product bundle, or pairing offered together; also, a small musical group combining several instruments or players.
- A set of items offered or used together, such as a combo meal or bundled offer.
- A small band or ensemble playing jazz, dance, or popular music.
- In gaming and martial arts, a linked sequence of moves performed in quick succession.
"The restaurant's lunch combo includes a sandwich, fries, and a drink."
"She ordered the chicken-and-ribs combo so she could try both dishes."
"The quartet played as a tight little combo at the downtown club."
Standard plural; simply add -s.
"The menu lists three different combos."
Born in American jazz clubs as shorthand for a 'combination' band, combo went on to name everything from fast-food meals to fighting-game attack sequences.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of combo
Combo arose in American English in the early twentieth century as a colloquial clipping of 'combination'. It gained currency first among jazz musicians, who used it for small ensembles, before spreading into general commercial usage for bundled products and set meals. It shares its root with 'combine' and 'combination', which derive from Latin 'combinare', meaning to join two by two.
How combo is actually used
Combo is informal but widely accepted in everyday speech and advertising. It is common in commercial contexts (menus, deals) and in music and gaming jargon; it rarely appears in formal writing, where 'combination' is preferred.
Easily confused with combo
Combine is the verb or noun referring to the act of joining things together, whereas combo is an informal noun for the resulting mixture or package itself.