barrio

[bahr-ee-oh, bar-, bahr-ryaw]

noun

plural

barrios 

1. (in Spain and countries colonized by Spain) one of the divisions into which a town or city, together with the contiguous rural territory, is divided.

2. a part of a large U.S. city, especially a crowded inner-city area, inhabited chiefly by a Spanish-speaking population.

barrio

/ ˈbarrjo, ˈbærɪəʊ /

noun

1. a Spanish-speaking quarter in a town or city, esp in the US

2. a Spanish-speaking community

Word History and Origins

Origin of barrio¹

First recorded in 1890–95; from Spanish: literally, “district, neighborhood,” from Arabic barrī “of open country” (equivalent to barr “outside, open country” + -i adjective suffix) + -o Spanish noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of barrio¹

from Spanish, from Arabic barrī of open country, from barr open country

Example Sentences

It’s a charming barrio, and it’s been under siege, like many other neighborhoods in the Windy City.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Similarly, reggaetón developed in the working-class barrios and public housing developments of Puerto Rico.

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For children in barrios who can now expect ICE and Border Patrol trucks to cruise past their schools searching for adults and even teens to detain — it’s already happened.

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She looked and sounded like an older cousin who grew up in the barrio and now lives in Downey, trying to sound hard in front of her bemused cholo relatives.

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By contrast, Boca have always remained in their spiritual home, the famous La Bombonera stadium that is seemingly dropped into the middle of the 'barrio', a high-poverty district of the city.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• part 
• place 
• point 
• region 
• sector