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nachos

American  
[nah-chohz] / ˈnɑ tʃoʊz /

plural noun

  1. Mexican Cooking. an appetizer or dish of several individual tortilla chips topped with cheese, pickled jalapeño peppers, refried beans, etc., and baked or broiled.

  2. an appetizer or dish of tortilla chips covered in melted cheese or warm cheese sauce and topped with pickled jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, onions, spicy ground beef, or other condiments.


Etymology

Origin of nachos

First recorded in 1945–50; nacho ( def. ) + -s 3 ( def. )

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.

And on Sunday night, as America was heating up nachos for Super Bowl parties, Team USA’s skaters were lacing up for their own winner-take-all showdown.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

“I would say that my nachos are mine, and I invented them,” she told Entertainment Weekly when asked about a viral stan meme that claims she’s “reheating her own nachos” in the album’s “Abracadabra.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2025

"We'd be looking for the nachos and the popcorn."

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2025

To keep it simple: a banana from a New York fruit stand or nachos from Dos Toros.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2024

Jenna, Audrey, and I fell into our usual routine, making nachos the way we had many times before in Audrey’s kitchen.

From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence