elote

noun

elo·​te ā-ˈlō-(ˌ)tā 

variants or less commonly elotes

plural elotes

: grilled corn on the cob that is coated with a creamy spread (such as mayonnaise, sour cream, or crema) and garnished with toppings (such as lime juice, cotija cheese, and chili powder)

In Mexico, elote … is a popular treat sold as a street snack by sellers that push wooden carts parked outside government buildings, public schools, state fairs … or any other place where people gather.

—Mely Martínez

Just as you may see elote offered at street fairs in the United States, it's also a popular … food in Mexico. Who can resist grilled corn slathered with crema and sprinkled with bold spices?

—Edgar Castrejón

Elotes is the famous Mexican street food of corn brushed with creamy mayonnaise, cheese and lime.

—Lilly Higgins

Elotes are almost all I want to eat by the end of the summer.

—Leah Eskin

called also Mexican street corn, street corn

compare esquites

Examples of elote in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From elote to mole and birria to pozole, here are some other tasty dishes worth a try. — Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Bent Buckle serves brisket sandwiches and brisket nachos, Frito Pie arrives in a paper bag topped with chili and shredded cheese, and Vaqueros builds the Elote Burger on a 10-ounce Angus patty with pepper jack, lettuce, tomato and Flamin’ Hot elote. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

To drink, look for cocktails like a maracuya margarita, an elote old fashioned or a lemongrass spritz, alongside a selection of Mexican beers, whiskeys, mezcal and tequila flights and wines. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

Get the brisket elotes and pork belly burnt ends, and be sure to pencil in a siesta afterward. — Nathanael Gassett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Spanish of Mexico and Central America, "fresh ear of corn," borrowed from Nahuatl ēlōtl

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for elote

• chelate
• pellet
• prelate
• zealot
• appellate