burrito

American  

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

noun

Mexican Cooking.

plural

burritos

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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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; 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

Example Sentences

Your burrito would still cook in the microwave at exactly the same rate.

From Science Daily • Mar. 10, 2026

“Little Chicago,” he said, sitting in his Newport Beach, Calif., office, working through a Taco Bell bean burrito.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

When I visited its Tustin branch, a wall featured the same cheesy wood-and-metal sculpture of a Mayan lord holding a burrito I remembered during my first Chipotle visit back in 2009.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

Picture a burrito bowl layered in reds and greens: cabbage slaw, sweet corn, charred bell peppers, red onion, shredded lettuce, jalapeños.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

That time, he asked so politely that she let him buy her a burrito from a fast-food place in the mall.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart