kəmˈpärsə noun
( -s )
Etymology: American Spanish, from Spanish, group of revelers costumed alike, entire group of supernumeraries in a play, supernumerary in a play, from Italian, supernumerary in a play, appearance, from feminine of comparso, past participle of comparire to appear, from Latin comparēre, from Latin com- + parēre to be visible — more at appear
1. : a folk dance and song of Cuban Negro origin
2. : a masked company of street dancers in Cuban carnival processions