mariachi

noun

ma·​ri·​a·​chi ˌmär-ē-ˈä-chē How to pronounce mariachi (audio)
ˌmer-
1
: a small, strolling, Mexican band consisting usually of trumpeters, guitarists, and violinists
also : a musician belonging to such a band
often used before another noun
2
: the music performed by a mariachi

Examples of mariachi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Several mariachi groups will perform throughout the day. Heather McRea, Oc Register, 25 Oct. 2025 Highlights include live mariachi music and folklorico dancers. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025 She was raised in California, in a home where mariachi music was played at family gatherings and quinceañeras were celebrated. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2025 The sound of mariachi music and the smell of churros filled the air as people in Halloween costumes wove through rows of booths. Sonia Mankame, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mariachi

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, perhaps modification of French mariage marriage

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mariachi was in 1923

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Cite this Entry

“Mariachi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mariachi. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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