criollo

noun

cri·​o·​llo krē-ˈōl-(ˌ)yō How to pronounce criollo (audio)
-ˈō-(ˌ)yō
plural criollos
1
a
: a person of pure Spanish descent born in Spanish America
b
: a person born and usually raised in a Spanish-American country
2
: a domestic animal of a breed or strain (as of cattle) developed in Latin America
especially, often Criollo : any of a breed of hardy muscular ponies originally developed in Argentina
criollo adjective

Examples of criollo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The lieutenant colonel is a powerful criollo. — Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026 The cooking is deliberate and ingredient-driven, like achiote, hoja santa, chiles and maíz criollo. — Gina Góngora, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026 Her ancestors had come to South America with Francisco Pizarro, and she was raised in luxury as part of the imperial colony’s criollo élite. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024 Nineteenth-century Puerto Rican criollo elites continued this pattern. — Israel Melendez Ayala, Time, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for criollo

Word History

Etymology

Spanish — more at creole

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of criollo was in 1604

Rhymes for criollo

See All Rhymes for criollo

Browse Nearby Words

criollismo
criollo
criophore
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Criollo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criollo. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on criollo

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about criollo

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