What does "mexican" mean?
A Mexica; an Aztec.
Mexican
/ˈmɛksɪk(ə)n/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A Mexica; an Aztec.
- Grammar: mexican is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: from mexico, mexican citizen, mexican national, mexican-origin.
- Useful contrasts: foreign, foreigner, non Mexican.
- Usage evidence: I found a good Mexican restaurant.
How to use "mexican"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mexican" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mexican" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mexican" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mexican" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "mexican" is acting as adj, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "from mexico" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "mexican", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A Mexica; an Aztec. obsolete
"Surely, nature it ſelf calls to us for this reſpect to a deity, even the very ſavage Indians may teach us this point of religion; amongſt whom we find the Mexicans, a people that had never had any intercourſe with the other three parts of the World, Eminent in this kinde; what ſumptuous, and ſtately Temples had they erected to their Devils: How did they enrich their miſ-called Gods with Magazins of their treaſure?"
- 2 a native or inhabitant of Mexico wordnet
- 3 The Nahuatl language. obsolete
"Painala was in the Mexican province of Coatzacualco: she was accordingly able to speak Mexican."
- 4 A person from the country of Mexico or of Mexican descent.
"The Mexican levelled nine minutes from time after Steven Gerrard, making his first start since undergoing groin surgery in April, put Liverpool ahead with a 68th-minute free-kick."
- 5 The Mexican dialect of Spanish.
""You see, I never learned to speak Spanish, but speak Mexican fluently," he says disarmingly."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 A person from, or of descent from, any Spanish-speaking country. US, offensive, slang
"Fox News issued an apology on Sunday for an on-screen graphic that mistakenly indicated President Donald Trump was reducing aid to "three Mexican countries.""
- 7 A Victorian (a person from the state of Victoria). Australia, New-South-Wales, slang
- 8 A person from either of the southern states of New South Wales and Victoria. Australia, slang
- 9 Mexican or Mexican-derived cuisine; whether traditional Mexican food or Tex-Mex, etc. uncountable
"I'm hungry, want to go out for Mexican?"
Adjective
- 1 Of or pertaining to the Mexica people. obsolete
- 2 Of or pertaining to the Nahuatl language. obsolete
"The principal grain of Mexico, before the introduction of thoſe from Europe, was maize, in the Mexican language called tluolli, of which there were ſeveral kinds, different in ſize, weight, colour, and taſte."
- 3 Of, from, or pertaining to the country of Mexico.
"In the first year of her administration, ACLED data shows, Sheinbaum’s efforts to contain violence have generally coincided with a drop in attacks against civilians; since January, civilian killings have declined in nearly every Mexican state."
Adjective
- 1 of or relating to Mexico or its inhabitants wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I found a good Mexican restaurant."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mexican"?
Common synonyms include: from mexico, mexican citizen, mexican national, mexican-origin, mexicano, mexicans.
How do you use "mexican" in a sentence?
I found a good Mexican restaurant.
How do you pronounce "mexican"?
Pronounced /ˈmɛksɪk(ə)n/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish mexicano, from Nahuatl mēxihcah plural of mēxihcatl (“a Mexica”) + -ano (“-an”). By surface analysis, Mexico + -an. Doublet of Mexicano.