Tejano

American  

[tey-hah-noh, tuh‑] / teɪˈhɑ noʊ, tə‑ /

noun

1. a Texas native or resident of Mexican or Mexican American birth or descent.

   The author’s newest short stories focus on a network of relationships between Tejanos and Anglos in a fictional Texas town.

2. (often lowercase) a style of Mexican American popular music that features the accordion and blends the polka with various forms of traditional Mexican music, now often including synthesizers and rock music.

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Etymology

Origin of Tejano

From Spanish (Mexico, Texas): literally, “Texan,” from Tejas Texas ( def. ) + masculine adjective suffix -ano ( see -an ( def. )); Tejano def. 1 was first recorded in 1925–30; Tejano def. 2 was first recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

This isn’t bro country; it’s songs for aching hearts, for dreamers, for the lovelorn, steeped in pop, rock, Tejano and Mariachi.

From Salon • Dec. 26, 2025

The six-time Grammy winner was recognized as a pioneer in the Tejano music genre and was exalted for his virtuoso accordion skills.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2025

With Doug Sahm, Augie Meyers and fellow Tejano chingón Freddy Fender, Jiménez formed the Texas Tornadoes, whose oeuvre blasts at every third-rate barbecue joint from the Texas Hill Country to Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2025

They had experienced head-turning celebrity with “La Bamba,” and they followed it up with “La Pistola y El Corazón,” a gritty selection of mariachi and Tejano songs played on acoustic traditional instruments.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2025

She’d cleaned out his bank account before she left him, taking with her every penny he’d ever saved from his years as a quasi-famous Tejano singer.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall