pinto

American  

[pin-toh, peen-] / ˈpɪn toʊ, ˈpin- /

adjective

1. marked with spots of white and other colors; mottled; spotted.

   a pinto horse.

---

noun

plural

pintos

1. Western U.S. a pinto horse.

2. pinto bean.

pinto British  

/ ˈpɪntəʊ /

adjective

1. marked with patches of white; piebald

---

noun

1. a pinto horse

Etymology

Origin of pinto

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60; from Spanish, from Vulgar Latin pinctus (unattested) “painted”; pinta

Example Sentences

As a child in Northern California, he grew up eating tostadas with refried pinto beans.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026

Steven Ness, who grows pinto beans and pumpkins in central New Mexico, said the rising cost of irrigation as groundwater dwindles is an issue across the board for farmers in the region.

From Washington Times • Oct. 29, 2023

Richard monitored the pinto beans with a timer he assiduously reset every time it went off.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2023

Examples are black beans, red kidney beans and pinto beans – they look different but they are the same species.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2023

Tayo felt like a little kid; he felt eight again, and Josiah was boosting him onto the back of Siow’s pinto.

From "Ceremony:" by Leslie Marmon Silko