Cajun

1 of 2

noun

Ca·​jun ˈkā-jən 

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

Noun

Just 20 minutes from Lafayette, Breaux Bridge is a Cajun Country paradise where soulful food and scenic views are easy to come by. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2025

For the main course, the restaurant offers vegan Cajun noodles or barbecue ranch ribs. —Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 3 Jan. 2025

For a Cajun flair, start your meal with a bowl of turtle soup or seafood and andouille gumbo. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2024

And Cajun restaurant Southern Heaux opened in March in the Maumelle Corner shopping center, 301 Millwood Circle, Maumelle, in the midst of some controversy over its name. —Eric E. Harrison, arkansasonline.com, 30 Dec. 2024

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

Kids Definition

Cajun

1 of 2 noun

Ca·​jun ˈkā-jən 

: 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