Tejano

noun

Te·​ja·​no tā-ˈhä-(ˌ)nō 

plural Tejanos

often attributive

1

: a Texan of Hispanic descent

—often used before another noun

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

Examples of Tejano in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And, of course, there’s no shortage of travelers coming to pay their respects to Selena, a pioneer of Tejano music who earned worldwide acclaim for her powerful voice. —Jared Ranahan, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2025

Flaco Jimenez, the legendary accordionist from San Antonio who won multiple Grammys and helped expand the popularity of conjunto, Tejano and Tex-Mex music, died Thursday. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2025

The collaboration changed the trajectory of both musicians’ careers, and resulted, many years later, in the forming of the Texas Tornados, the beloved, Grammy-winning Tejano supergroup featuring Jiménez, Sahm, Augie Meyers, and Freddy Fender. —Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025

Flaco Jiménez, the Tejano music icon whose virtuosic accordion playing and pioneering contributions to conjunto and Tex-Mex music brought global acclaim to a cherished South Texas tradition, has died at 86. —Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 1 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, from Tejas Texas

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Tejano

• chicano
• hispano
• serrano
• solano
• soprano
• americano
• castellano
• cebuano
• mexicano
• llano
• mano