burrito

American  

[buh-ree-toh, boor-ree-taw] / bəˈri toʊ, burˈri tɔ /

noun

Mexican Cooking.

• burritos
  plural

1. a tortilla folded over a filling, as of ground beef, grated cheese, or refried beans.

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burrito British  

/ bəˈriːtəʊ /

noun

1. Mexican cookery a tortilla folded over a filling of minced beef, chicken, cheese, or beans

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• burritos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of burrito

First recorded in 1940–45; from Mexican Spanish (Guerrero): “stuffed taco,” Spanish: “young donkey, foal,” equivalent to burr(o) “donkey” + -ito diminutive suffix; see origin at burro

Compare meaning

How does burrito compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• enchilada vs. burrito
• burrito vs. chimichanga
• taco vs. burrito
• burro vs. burrito

Explanation

A burrito is a delicious Mexican dish made of foods like beans, cheese, or other fillings rolled up in a soft tortilla. Eat a big burrito for lunch, and you may still be full at dinnertime. In Spanish, burrito means "little donkey" or "little burro," a name that may have been inspired by the rolled packs that working burros carry on their backs. Burritos are common in northern parts of Mexico and areas of the U.S. that border that country. Over the years, the burrito's popularity has spread widely, along with other Mexican dishes such as nachos and tacos. Authentic Mexican burritos tend to be smaller and have fewer ingredients than their U.S. counterparts.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

burrito burritos

A hot cup of coffee might be among the last things you think of when you order a burrito.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

Starbucks Energy Refreshers drinks, which are served cold, could be served up with a burrito bowl in the afternoon or evening at Chipotle, for instance, she said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

I like their chorizo burrito, and I add bacon and avocado to it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

A prototype for a frozen burrito with the same protein load was scrapped, because the tortilla couldn’t hold that much filling.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Sam and I are in the cafeteria, standing in line to fix our burrito bowls.

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson

The researchers compare it to approximately 40 million dump trucks' worth of matter, or about 1.3 trillion one-pound burritos every second.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026

Handling personalized drinks, along with burritos and bowls, could make things complicated in Chipotle’s kitchens, Zackfia said, depending on how far down that road Chipotle might go.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026

I’m much happier with an occasional Big Seasonal Prep Day — fill the freezer with soups, sauces, breakfast burritos and other useful things — and then let the ensuing weeks fall where they will.

From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026

Rob has found the simple spag bol a versatile recipe: "You can just adapt a couple of things for chilli or lots of burritos."

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

I could’ve lied and told him the cafeteria burritos gave me stomach cramps, even though I’m smart enough never to eat those cheesy laxative bombs.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson