Mariachi
adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A traditional form of Mexican music, either sung or purely instrumental.
- 2 a group of street musicians in Mexico wordnet
- 3 A group that plays mariachi music.
"At her first performance with an all-male mariachi, the oldest member said to the musical director,[…](No! I've never played with a woman; I'm not going to start now [my translation])."
- 4 A member of such a group.
"The mariachis would serenade / and they would not shut up till they were paid."
- 1 Of or pertaining to a traditional form of Mexican music, either sung or purely instrumental. not-comparable
- 2 Of or pertaining to a band playing such music, or to the singers of such songs. not-comparable
Example
More examples"Students from Los Cenzontles have visited parts of Mexico where the music they're learning originated. Rodriguez says they learned that many of the indigenous folk traditions — corridos, rancheras, and old-style mariachi music — were dying out and are no longer being played by Mexicans themselves."
Etymology
Borrowed from Mexican Spanish mariachi. The origin of the Spanish word is unclear. It has often been claimed to derive from French mariage (“marriage”), reputedly because the Europe-born Emperor Maximilian of Mexico (which France had invaded) encouraged the music to be played at weddings. However, new evidence shows the word to have been used prior to the French invasion. Most other theories suggest indigenous roots. See Wikipedia.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.