jarabe tapatío

[hah-rah-ve tah-pah-tee-aw]

noun

1. a dance of Mexican origin, performed by a couple and consisting of nine figures and melodies, in which the partners often dance facing each other but not touching.

Word History and Origins

Origin of jarabe tapatío¹

< Mexican Spanish; Spanish jarabe literally, sweetened drink, syrup; tapatío pertaining to Guadalajara (allegedly a word used in this region of Mexico for a serving of three tortillas, originally a unit of cacao bean currency < Nahuatl tlapatiotl price, value)

Example Sentences

Vizguerra, the Colorado mother, danced the steps of “el jarabe tapatio,” better known as the Mexican hat dance, when a mariachi band began playing.

Read more on Washington Post

Dancers on hand at the airport moved to a  number of well-known Mexican songs, including “Jarabe Tapatio,” a traditional dance tune from the northern state of Jalisco. 

Read more on Los Angeles Times