pinto
Americanadjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of pinto
An Americanism dating back to 1855–60; from Spanish, from Vulgar Latin pinctus (unattested) “painted”; see pinta
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.
See Examples For:
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
Riding her pinto horse, Beauty, bareback provided her a temporary sense of escape.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2023
Let's start with beans: black beans, lentils, chickpeas, pinto and kidney beans are all excellent sources of healthy protein, low in fat and high in fiber.
From Salon ● Mar. 27, 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
When he discovered black beans, he found them downright exotic—inky, fudgy, definitely not the same old pintos.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 10, 2026
Black beans bring a deeper, earthier tone; pintos are soft and nutty, more traditional.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2025
Hard to imagine in their tiny shells today, pintos can grow to the size of an adult’s hand.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2021
Any white bean you’d like, or even pintos or chickpeas.
From Washington Post ● May 10, 2020
At another open window on the same side of the house, the one next to the sink where Hagar washed her hair and where Reba put pintos to soak, a woman’s face appeared.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
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