nacho

American  

[nah-choh] / ˈnɑ tʃoʊ /

noun

Mexican Cooking.

nachos plural

1. a snack or appetizer consisting of a tortilla chip topped with cheese, pickled jalapeño peppers, refried beans, etc., and baked or broiled.

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nacho British  

/ ˈnɑːtʃəʊ /

noun

1. Mexican cookery a snack consisting of a piece of tortilla topped with cheese, hot peppers, etc, and grilled

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Etymology

Origin of nacho

First recorded in 1945–50; from Mexican Spanish Nacho, nickname for the male given name Ignacio, specifically, Ignacio Anaya, a Mexican chef who supposedly invented the dish in the mid-1940s

Example Sentences

Further evidence of a paradigm shift: Enthusiastic theatergoers thronging to “Malinche the Musical,” the brainchild of Nacho Cano, a Spanish rock star turned impresario.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026

The 2019 Open champion improved to five under and is tied at the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage with Spain's Nacho Elvira, who matched the Irishman's 68.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

The 451st-ranked Lee, who started the last day at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club four shots off the lead, triumphed ahead of England's Laurie Canter and Spain's Nacho Elvira.

From Barron's • Oct. 26, 2025

From Jan. 1 to Jan. 22, customers can get $1 regular Nacho Fries with the purchase of any a la carte 5-piece or 10-piece nugget order.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2024

We talked about sour cream and onion chips versus Spicy Nacho Doritos.

From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy