Cinco de Mayo
Americannoun
Usage
What and when is Cinco de Mayo? Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday on May 5 that celebrates the victory of Mexican forces during the Battle of Puebla, which occurred on May 5, 1862. Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for “Fifth of May” (May 5). Cinco de Mayo is sometimes mistakenly thought to be Mexico’s independence day, but Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16. In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla. While Cinco de Mayo marks an event in Mexican history, it is widely (and perhaps even more popularly) celebrated in the United States. Mexican Americans celebrate it with parades, parties, and other events highlighting Mexican pride, and Americans without Mexican heritage often observe it by enjoying Mexican cuisine. Still, many Americans simply use it as an excuse for a party, especially for drinking excessively (in much the same way as St. Patrick’s Day).
Etymology
Origin of Cinco de Mayo
< Spanish: May 5
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.
On Tuesday, she reminded them that it was Cinco de Mayo, a day to celebrate Mexico’s victory over French invaders in the 1860s.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026
Advertisements lure patrons to restaurants to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Easter with buckets of beer and a variety of seafood, and encourage the adventurous to brave a Halloween obstacle course at a Pilates studio.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
The barbs Canelo Álvarez and Oscar De la Hoya traded helped bring energy to Álvarez’s Cinco de Mayo weekend fight against quiet boxer Jaime Munguia.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2025
El presidente de UFC, Dana White, quiere quitarle una de las dos fechas que regularmente recurre Canelo Álvarez en Las Vegas: el Cinco de Mayo o el Día de la Independencia de México.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 14, 2024
Taylor clicked her fingers like castanets and the others followed till it sounded like Cinco de Mayo night at the senior home.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
Definitions 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.
