chorizo

noun

cho·​ri·​zo chə-ˈrē-(ˌ)zō 

-(ˌ)sō

plural chorizos

: a seasoned, coarsely ground, pork sausage

a

: a spicy or sweet ground pork sausage that is seasoned especially with smoked paprika, is used chiefly in Spanish cooking, and is typically sold dried and cured in casings

b

: a spicy ground pork sausage that is seasoned with chili powder and other spices (such as cumin or garlic), is used chiefly in Mexican cooking, and is typically sold uncooked either loose or in casings

Examples of chorizo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her Touchdown Dip is plenty cheesy and creamy with a nice punch of heat from fresh Mexican chorizo and green chiles. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025

There's also a birria bowl, classic eggs Benedict, and the Axolotl Benedict with chicken chorizo, avocado and cilantro chipotle hollandaise sauce. —Jordyn Noennig, jsonline.com, 26 Aug. 2025

An example of the chorizo suelto (homestyle chorizo) being recalled. —Matt Cannon, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025

Vino Cobos Malbec stands up to the bife de chorizo, Santa Julia pairs beautifully with empanadas or skirt steak, Zuccardi complements cordero patagónico, and Bonarda works with Asado. —Chelsea Davis, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chorizo

• carrizo
• mestizo