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:
Liam Gallagher played to the locals, donning a sombrero de charro during “Wonderwall” and the show closer “Champagne Supernova.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2025
A charro suit is made using specific sartorial techniques, which Campillo applies to other garments, creating something highly specific to him, his experience and his version of the world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2024
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
Performing live and appearing in nearly 40 movies, Mr. Fernández cultivated an image as a charro, a traditional horseman, singing in the saddle at times like Gene Autry or Roy Rogers.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 12, 2021
“Not like there are here in Mexico. I’ve been there many times and have never seen a charro ” He asked casually, “Aren’t you going over there, muchachos?”
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
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
Horses carrying Mexican American cowboys known as charros clip-clop along a network of park trails.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2021
Salvador pointed north and asked, “Are there any charros over there, señor?”
From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
