Chicano

Or chi·ca·no

[chi-kah-noh, -kan-oh]

adjective

1. of or relating to Mexican Americans or their culture.

noun

plural

Chicanos 

1. a Mexican American.

chicano

/ tʃɪˈkɑːnəʊ /

noun

1. an American citizen of Mexican origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of Chicano¹

First recorded in 1960–65; from Mexican Spanish, by shortening and alteration of mexicano Mexican ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of Chicano¹

C20: from Spanish mejicano Mexican

Example Sentences

The book sparked renewed interest in the Eastside’s 1960s Chicano rock scene, and Jaramillo reunited with bandmates to perform for a few more years before adoring crowds.

From Los Angeles Times

Known colloquially as the Cheech, the museum is widely considered the only space in the nation that exclusively showcases Chicano art.

From Los Angeles Times

“We are not criminals. We’re Mexican, Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, whatever you want to call it…. We do not deserve this treatment.… There needs to be a change.”

From Los Angeles Times

In the LP, which dropped on Valentine’s Day, he infused corridos with Chicano rap in the swaggering title track and embraced reggaeton in the playful “Loco.”

From Los Angeles Times

“They trash-talk California, but it’s just such a huge part of my identity and culture — growing up as a Mexican American in California, that Chicano culture. I will always love Los Angeles.”

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does Chicano mean?

A Chicano is a person who is Mexican American. In other words, it’s someone of Mexican descent who was born in or now lives in the United States, as in Although Jorge loves living in the United States, he remains a proud Chicano, frequently visiting his Mexican hometown.Chicano is also used as an adjective to describe Mexican American people or things involving them or their culture, as in Rosa loved Chicano food so much that she became a chef and opened a popular Chicano restaurant. Chicano comes from Mexican Spanish, a language that uses gendered nouns. Chicano is the masculine form, while Chicana is the feminine form. Chican@ and Chicanx are sometimes used as gender-neutral forms.As with any term that refers to a person’s identity, it is best to ask the person what term they prefer to identify themselves with. Even if a person fits the dictionary definition of Chicano, they might prefer to be identified by another term, such as Mexican American, American, Mexican, Hispanic, or Latino.Example: The ad campaign was targeted at the city’s large Chicano population, who were proud of their Mexican heritage.