boricua

[baw-ree-kwuh]

noun

1. a Puerto Rican, or person of Puerto Rican descent.

   He’s a proud boricua.

adjective

1. of or relating to Puerto Rico or Puerto Ricans: The new production of West Side Story will prioritize boricua casting.

   the top ten boricua restaurants in New York;

   The new production of West Side Story will prioritize boricua casting.

Word History and Origins

Origin of boricua¹

First recorded in 1945–50; from Taíno Borikén “the great land of the valiant and noble lord” (the name of the island)

Example Sentences

Bringing the film there reinforced Del Valle’s sense of belonging in her Boricua identity.

From Los Angeles Times

Adrianna Toledo, a Boricua tattoo artist known as “Versa” online, is the owner of 823 Tattoo Studio in the adjacent town of Carolina.

From Los Angeles Times

As Bad Bunny’s San Juan concert residency draws tourists to Puerto Rico, local artists partnered with Mijente and AgitArt to create an art exhibition that examines the complexity of Boricua history.

From Los Angeles Times

He goes back to Rafael Cortijo — the roots, the very essence of boricua culture.

From Los Angeles Times

By the time she recorded “Nacarile,” the striking originality of her vision attracted a cadre of high-profile guests, from Argentine rapper Trueno and Chilean chanteuse Mon Laferte, to Mexican folk priestess Natalia Lafourcade and boricua reggaetón legend Ivy Queen.

From Los Angeles Times