Chicano

noun

Chi·​ca·​no chi-ˈkä-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce Chicano (audio)
 also  shi-
plural Chicanos
: an American and especially a man or boy of Mexican descent
Chicano adjective

Examples of Chicano in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Orange County hadn’t seen a Democrat like her since Nativo Lopez, a Chicano activist turned Santa Ana Unified school board member who delighted in antagonizing Democrats and Republicans alike in the early 2000s. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Ontiveros began collecting donations for striking farmworkers and joined the Royal Chicano Air Force artist organization. Cathie Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024 Today, Mexican restaurants may be ubiquitous in California but, in those days, even Chicano restaurants, where traditional recipes were adapted for American ingredients and palates, were rarely found outside of Latino enclaves. Bill Esparza, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Young Chicano activists walked out of high schools and staged marches demanding political representation and an end to civic neglect of the Eastside. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Our first date was at the Chicano Park Day Festival. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 Willy Chavarria borrowed its plaids and houndstooths and juxtaposed them against nods to Western and Chicano all-American fashion. José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2024 Theresa Montaño, a Chicano studies scholar at California State University, Northridge, and a founder of the Liberated Ethnic Studies group, declined to say how many districts the group works with. Dana Goldstein, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 The exhibition marks a major solo outing for Terrill in Los Angeles, putting a spotlight on an artist and activist who, for decades, has chronicled his life and that of a circle of Chicano intimates in poignant and irreverent ways. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Chicano.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, alteration of Spanish mexicano Mexican

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Chicano was in 1947

Dictionary Entries Near Chicano

Cite this Entry

“Chicano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chicano. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Chicano

noun
Chi·​ca·​no chi-ˈkän-ō How to pronounce Chicano (audio)
shi-
: an American and especially a man or boy of Mexican ancestry
Chicano adjective
Etymology

Mexican Spanish, an altered form of mexicano "Mexican"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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