Costa Rican

adjective

Cos·​ta Ri·​can ˌkȯ-stə-ˈrē-kən How to pronounce Costa Rican (audio)
ˌkō-
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Costa Rica or its people
Costa Rican noun
plural Costa Ricans

Examples of Costa Rican in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Local reports have suggested Phillips may have been caught in a flash flood, but police have not confirmed what exactly happened to her, according to Costa Rican outlets The Tico Times and La Teja. Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026 Costa Rican authorities have issued a nationwide green alert, warning that an intensifying rainy season and a developing Pacific low-pressure system threaten to trigger even more catastrophic landslides. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026 In-villa refreshments included coffee and tea from the farm, with a traditional wooden Costa Rican chorreador pour-over coffee maker, plus a minibar stocked with Hotel Belmar beer and local beverages, and a variety of Costa Rican snacks, including organic dark chocolate bars. Laura Beausire, Travel + Leisure, 15 June 2026 That’s because after Piedras Blancas National Park was formed in the 1990s, the Costa Rican government banned new development. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026 Nearby Playa Naranjo serves as a gateway, with a ferry service linking the peninsula to Puntarenas and the wider Costa Rican coast. Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026 Costa Rican linesman Berny Ulloa wasn’t having any of that. Michael Cox, New York Times, 3 June 2026 San José, the Costa Rican capital, in all its throughways and recreation spots, transforms into an emotional terrain through which all the existential torpor and dislocation reverberate. Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 16 May 2026 The move to keep Chaves in the administration is unprecedented in Costa Rican politics and will offer the outgoing leader incredible sway over the next government. ABC News, 8 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Costa Rican was in 1849

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Costa Rican.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Costa%20Rican. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster