noun
Common
Mexican
MEHK-sihkn
Mexican (noun) means a person from Mexico or of Mexican descent. Example: “Many Mexicans celebrate Independence Day on September 16th.”
noun
1
A person from Mexico or of Mexican descent.
"When Google announced it was complying with US President Donald Trump’s executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, many Mexicans responded with a laugh and a long, exhausted sigh."
— Michael Rios, ‘It’s absurd’: Mexicans mock and shrug off Trump’s order to rename Gulf of Mexico (2025)
"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.""
— Claire Atkinson, Fox News apologizes for graphic about '3 Mexican countries' (2019)
"What kind of Mexican are you?"
"Many Mexicans celebrate Independence Day on September 16th."
adjective
1
Relating to Mexico, its people, or its culture.
"We tried an authentic Mexican restaurant downtown."
How to use Mexican
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFrom or relating to Mexico.
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Word forms
- Plural
- Mexicans
- Comparative
- more Mexican
- Superlative
- most Mexican
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Many _____ celebrate Independence Day on September 16th.
Etymology
From Spanish mexicano, ultimately from Nahuatl mēxihcatl ("a Mexica person").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for Mexican
See all rhymes for Mexican →Frequently asked questions
What does “Mexican” mean?
The word “Mexican” means a person from Mexico or of Mexican descent. In plain terms, from or relating to Mexico.
How do you pronounce “Mexican”?
“Mexican” is pronounced MEHK-sihkn (/ˈmɛksək(ə)n/ in IPA).
How do you use “Mexican” in a sentence?
Here is “Mexican” used in a sentence: “Many Mexicans celebrate Independence Day on September 16th.”
What part of speech is “Mexican”?
Depending on how it is used, “Mexican” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “Mexican” come from?
The word “Mexican” comes from Spanish. From Spanish mexicano, ultimately from Nahuatl mēxihcatl ("a Mexica person").
Is “Mexican” a common word?
“Mexican” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Mexican” have?
“Mexican” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person from Mexico or of Mexican descent.
What does Mexican mean?
Mexican describes a person who comes from Mexico or who has Mexican ancestry. It also works as an adjective for anything relating to the country, such as Mexican food, Mexican culture, or the Mexican flag. As a noun, it refers to the people themselves and is a neutral term of nationality and heritage.
What is the difference between Mexican and Hispanic?
Mexican refers specifically to people from Mexico or of Mexican descent. Hispanic is a much broader term covering anyone from Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain and most of Latin America. So all Mexicans are Hispanic, but most Hispanic people are not Mexican. Latino is another wider term, referring to Latin American origin regardless of language.
Is Mexican a nationality or an ethnicity?
It can be both. As a nationality, Mexican refers to citizens of Mexico regardless of their background. As an ethnic or cultural identity, it describes people of Mexican heritage, including many living outside Mexico. Someone may be Mexican by citizenship, by descent, or both, depending on the context in which the word is used.
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