Cajun

American  

[kay-juhn] / ˈkeɪ dʒən /

Sometimes Cajan

noun

• Cajuns
  plural

1. a member of a group of people with an enduring cultural tradition whose French Catholic ancestors established permanent communities in Louisiana and Maine after being expelled from Acadia in the late 18th century.

2. the French dialect of the Cajuns.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Cajuns, especially those of Louisiana.

   Cajun cooking.

Cajun British  

/ ˈkeɪdʒən /

noun

1. a native of Louisiana descended from 18th-century Acadian immigrants

2. the dialect of French spoken by such people

3. the music of this ethnic group, combining blues and European folk music

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adjective

1. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of such people, their language, or their music

Cajun Cultural  

1. A native of Louisiana believed to be descended from the French exiles from Acadia (see Nova Scotia). Cajuns have maintained a separate culture, including a special dialect and distinctive cooking style.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Cajuns
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Cajun

First recorded in 1865–70; shortening of Acadian; compare Injun for Indian

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Cajun Cajuns

He boasts of achieving a seventh-degree black belt in Keichu-do karate, a Cajun hodgepodge martial art developed by his biological father, Karl.

From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2026

Taylor then signed for another major label as frontman of a band called Cajun Moon.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

Finish with scallions, black pepper and a light dusting of Cajun seasoning.

From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026

A successful merchant and middleman, Jacob married Marie Estelle Berthelot, a Catholic Cajun woman who later converted to Judaism.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

African-American traditions are so basic to popular music that they are generally not included in World music, but other North American traditions, such as Native American and Cajun traditions, sometimes are.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

But the Ragin’ Cajuns refused to go away — for the moment, at least.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

The Ragin’ Cajuns went in averaging 38.8 points per game, but got only a 52-yard run by Jacob Kibodi for second-half points.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 30, 2023

Louisiana: The Ragin’ Cajuns were sharp in the first half, so consistency is a concern.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 30, 2023

The Ragin’ Cajuns picked up their eighth straight victory.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 28, 2023

There lives my old friend Doctor St. Martin, a gentle, learned man, a Cajun who has lifted babies and cured colic among the shell- heap Cajuns for miles around.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck