pachuco
noun
pa·chu·co
pə-ˈchü-(ˌ)kō 
plural pachucos
: a young Mexican-American having a taste for flashy clothes and a special jargon and usually belonging to a neighborhood gang
Examples of pachuco in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Chicano artists also critically reexamined stereotyped figures, such as the pachuco and pachuca, and retold current and historic events through artworks that questioned hegemonic narratives.
—
Mary Thomas, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Reaching Cagney levels of style, Parra stars as the titular Spanglish-speaking pachuco who loves zoot suits and his mother but gets in a little over his head after using the local mob to destroy a taxi driver’s life.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 1 July 2024
An icon of Mexican-American border culture, typified by his heavy usage of Spanglish and bad-mannered pachuco style, Tin Tan melded the picaresque with his inimitable physical humor to become one of the most beloved comedians of his time.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 1 July 2024
In defense of Vietnam’s love of pachucos Jan. 22, 2024
Los Shinigamis del Norte went viral in 2022 when videos of their performance at an anime convention in Monterrey started making the rounds.
—Alex Zaragoza, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024
The exhibit, curated by Fred Apodaca Ortiz, features wonderful paintings of pachucos and pool halls, but the bowl of menudo on a wooden surface is different.
—Sarah Mosqueda, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Column: In defense of Vietnam’s love of pachucos A video of Vietnamese men dressed in pachuco style has gone viral on social media, sparking conversations about appropriation and who gets to partake in the culture.
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024
To be clear: Not all pachucos were gang members, nor did all gang members dress like pachucos.
—Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2023
Hundreds of pachucos came from the Eastside to help their Black peers.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2023
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Mary Thomas, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Reaching Cagney levels of style, Parra stars as the titular Spanglish-speaking pachuco who loves zoot suits and his mother but gets in a little over his head after using the local mob to destroy a taxi driver’s life.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 1 July 2024
An icon of Mexican-American border culture, typified by his heavy usage of Spanglish and bad-mannered pachuco style, Tin Tan melded the picaresque with his inimitable physical humor to become one of the most beloved comedians of his time.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 1 July 2024
In defense of Vietnam’s love of pachucos Jan. 22, 2024
Los Shinigamis del Norte went viral in 2022 when videos of their performance at an anime convention in Monterrey started making the rounds.
—Alex Zaragoza, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024
The exhibit, curated by Fred Apodaca Ortiz, features wonderful paintings of pachucos and pool halls, but the bowl of menudo on a wooden surface is different.
—Sarah Mosqueda, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Column: In defense of Vietnam’s love of pachucos A video of Vietnamese men dressed in pachuco style has gone viral on social media, sparking conversations about appropriation and who gets to partake in the culture.
—Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024
To be clear: Not all pachucos were gang members, nor did all gang members dress like pachucos.
—Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2023
Hundreds of pachucos came from the Eastside to help their Black peers.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Pachuco.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pachuco. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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