barrio

noun

bar·​rio ˈbär-ē-ˌō How to pronounce barrio (audio)
ˈber-,
ˈba-rē- How to pronounce barrio (audio)
plural barrios
1
: a ward, quarter, or district of a city or town in a Spanish-speaking country
2
: a Spanish-speaking quarter or neighborhood in a city or town in the U.S. especially in the Southwest

Examples of barrio in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
He was born in the Almirante Sur barrio of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, and is known for his Puerto Rican pride. Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024 Their continued refusal to erect a memorial to the barrios upon which Dodger Stadium was built contradicts the spirit of a city that wants to grapple with all of its history, comfortable and not. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024 Even though there were Mexicans already here, a lot of the refugees ended up becoming the first barrios, especially in L.A., Texas, around Arizona, around the Southwest. Caterina Barbera Kipreos, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2024 Benny is a once-in-a-lifetime icon who has inspired people from all walks of life, from the barrio to Hollywood studios. Andrés Buenahora, Variety, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for barrio 

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from Arabic barrī of the open country, from barr outside, open country

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of barrio was in 1833

Dictionary Entries Near barrio

Cite this Entry

“Barrio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrio. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

barrio

noun
plural barrios
: a neighborhood where most of the people speak Spanish

More from Merriam-Webster on barrio

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!