bracero

[ bruh-sair-oh, brah-; Spanish brah-se-raw ]

noun

, plural bra·ce·ros [br, uh, -, sair, -ohz, brah-, b, r, ah-, se, -, r, aws].

1. a Mexican laborer admitted legally into the U.S. for a short period to perform seasonal, usually agricultural, labor.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bracero¹

First recorded in 1915–20; from Spanish: “laborer,” literally, “one who swings his arms,” equivalent to brazo “arm” + -ero; brace, -ary