plural Tejanos
1
: a Texan of Hispanic descent
—often used before another noun
the Tejano community
2
[probably short for conjunto tejano, literally, Texan ensemble] : Tex-Mex popular music that combines elements of European waltzes and polkas, country music, and rock and that often features an accordion
—often used before another noun
a Tejano band

Examples of Tejano 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.
But she is locked in a tight race against Tejano musician Bobby Pulido. — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2026 Selena’s background was in Tejano, yet she was heavily influenced by heavy-hitters in pop, disco and R&B — namely Jody Watley, Janet Jackson and Donna Summer. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 The inclusion was made possible by approval from the late Tejano star’s estate, which has rarely granted use of her music since her death in 1995. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2026 The scenes will include a tribute to the vaqueros, the Mexican and Tejano cowboys who made up about one-fourth of Old West ranch hands and trail drivers. — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Tejano

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, from Tejas Texas

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Tejano was in 1958

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tejano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Tejano. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on Tejano

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