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)

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