rancheria

noun

ran·​che·​ria

ˌranchəˈrēə

plural -s

1

: a dwelling place of a ranchero

2

: a small settlement often consisting of huts occupied especially by Amerindians or Mexicans

it was among these rancherias … that the missions found their most fertile field for labor

—F. M. & Marie Keesing

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish ranchería, from ranchero + Spanish -ía -y (from Latin -ia)

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!