charro
Americannoun
-
charros
plural
Usage
What is a charro? Charro is used to describe something related to Mexican horsemen, such as their costumes, or to Mexican ranch culture, such as charro frijoles (beans), a soup-like dish made of pinto beans, onions, garlic, and bacon or pork belly. A charro is a traditional Mexican horseman whose costume usually consists of tight pants, a ruffled shirt or jacket, a large hat, and silver ornaments and decorations. They were originally known to be skilled ranchers and horsemen. Charros from different haciendas would compete in local charreadas to test their skills. The competitions grew to become traveling festivals that featured food, music, and competitions. In Mexican pop culture, charros are similar to cowboys in American pop culture, but they are celebrated as being ornamental and flashy. Charros are known to wear elaborate outfits with a lot of decorations, accents, frills, embroidered designs, and more. Perhaps the most recognizable part of traditional charro fashion is the large, wide-brimmed charro hat, the sombrero de charro. Example: The new food truck serves all my favorite charro foods, especially charro beans.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of charro
1925–30; < Mexican Spanish; Spanish: rustic, countrylike < Basque txar poor, weak
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
His uncles started a group called Banda La Movida, and Vallejo is still teaching himself acoustic guitar when he’s not apprenticing as a hat maker at Márquez Clásico, crafting tejanas and sombreros de charro.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2025
“And then what? This is our tradition. It’s our way of life,” he said, adding that a ban would be devastating for young children and teens who are dedicated to the sport and charro community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2022
The mariachi members stood quietly to the side in their black-and-silver trajes de charro, the girls in matching red lipstick and sparkling chandelier earrings.
From New York Times ● Nov. 3, 2022
Try the quarter chicken with charro beans and nopal salad.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 7, 2022
His desires had moved to motorcycles and cars, but Lupita could see that the glamorous charro still held a place in his heart.
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
Politicians, teenagers, dancers and charros, or men riding dancing horses, shouted, “Viva Mexico!”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2025
Having grown up in a family of Mexican horse riders, or charros, Dr. Urbiola was taught that inflicting pain and fear was the way to dominate, or break, a horse.
From New York Times ● May 9, 2023
“The first, quote, rodeo was in Texas, but the charros and the vaqueros did competitions like this starting back before California was a state. So the history in LA is huge.”
From Washington Times ● Feb. 21, 2022
On the West Coast, there are about 3,200 registered charros, where men compete in nine events, and about 800 registered escaramuzas, where teams of eight women compete in fast-paced, synchronized routines on horseback.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 31, 2021
He and Señor Diaz stepped inside the shop, which sold items that charros might buy such as jackets, ruffled shirts, whips, and elegant riding boots.
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
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