charro

[chahr-oh, chahr-raw]

noun

plural

charros 

1. a Mexican horseman or cowboy, typically one wearing an elaborate outfit, often with silver decorations, of tight trousers, ruffled shirt, short jacket, and sombrero.

Word History and Origins

Origin of charro¹

1925–30; < Mexican Spanish; Spanish: rustic, countrylike < Basque txar poor, weak

Example Sentences

Liam Gallagher played to the locals, donning a sombrero de charro during “Wonderwall” and the show closer “Champagne Supernova.”

From Los Angeles Times

“The Lost Charro” and “Adelita” range even further, complete with mariachi and other traditional instrumentation and melodies.

From Salon

Lopez’s extended family, who run nightclubs and restaurants and promote concerts across Southern California, owe their American dream to the generations of Latinos who have flocked to the open-air, 6,000-seat facility to see charro shows and singers on horseback while dressed in Stetsons, jeans and boots.

From Los Angeles Times

Then Schiff was off to a campaign event in north Las Vegas where he met Mexican charro horsemen and appeared with a grandson of César Chávez; a delegates meeting of the powerful Western States Carpenters, where he dropped three f-bombs during his speech; a late vegan lunch with the actor Bryan Cranston, who was volunteering for Rosen; a stop at a phone bank for Rep. Susie Lee of southern Nevada; and a flight home that landed in Burbank at 8:40 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times

Full service breakfast is included for guests at its Del Charro restaurant and bar, which is open late until midnight on most days.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What is a charro?

Charro is used to describe something related to Mexican horsemen, such as their costumes, or to Mexican ranch culture, such as charro frijoles (beans), a soup-like dish made of pinto beans, onions, garlic, and bacon or pork belly. A charro is a traditional Mexican horseman whose costume usually consists of tight pants, a ruffled shirt or jacket, a large hat, and silver ornaments and decorations. They were originally known to be skilled ranchers and horsemen. Charros from different haciendas would compete in local charreadas to test their skills. The competitions grew to become traveling festivals that featured food, music, and competitions.In Mexican pop culture, charros are similar to cowboys in American pop culture, but they are celebrated as being ornamental and flashy. Charros are known to wear elaborate outfits with a lot of decorations, accents, frills, embroidered designs, and more. Perhaps the most recognizable part of traditional charro fashion is the large, wide-brimmed charro hat, the sombrero de charro.Example: The new food truck serves all my favorite charro foods, especially charro beans.