Cajun

1 of 2

noun

Ca·​jun ˈkā-jən How to pronounce Cajun (audio)
variants or less commonly Cajan
: a Louisianian descended from French-speaking immigrants from Acadia

Cajun

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Cajuns
2
: of, relating to, or prepared in a style of cooking originating among the Cajuns and characterized by the use of hot seasonings (such as cayenne pepper)

Examples of Cajun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Darren Indovina moved to Monett, Missouri and opened a Cajun seafood restaurant, introducing his hometown flavors to the Ozarks. Dian Zhang, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025 The United Cajun Navy said volunteers spotted his remains using thermal drones. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025 Later that day, Kirkpatrick confirmed that the United Cajun Navy's drone located his remains about 200 yards into the marsh, not far from where he was reported missing, according to FOX affiliate WVUE. Jillian Frankel, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025 Dine on fusion dishes like Cajun shrimp eggrolls and Asian baby back ribs. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Cajun

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of Acadian

First Known Use

Noun

1868, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Cajun was in 1868

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Cite this Entry

“Cajun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cajun. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

Cajun

1 of 2 noun
Ca·​jun ˈkā-jən How to pronounce Cajun (audio)
: a Louisianian whose ancestors were French-speaking immigrants from Acadia, Canada

Cajun

2 of 2 adjective
1
: of or relating to the Cajuns
2
: prepared in a cooking style originating with the Cajuns and marked by the use of hot seasonings (as cayenne pepper)
Etymology

Noun

from an altered form of Acadian

More from Merriam-Webster on Cajun

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