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
mariachi music
2
: the music performed by a mariachi

Examples of mariachi 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.
And every aisle was filled with people browsing the wide variety of international options as a live mariachi band filled the store with music. — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 Look in the near future for DJ sets and special occasions with flamenco or mariachi music, plus lunch and Sunday brunch. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026 At the time, mainstream American pop stars rarely recorded entire albums in another language, let alone a Spanish-language mariachi album. — Rance Collins, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026 Not many records could credibly birth both a dub version and a mariachi reimagining; Reset is not like most records. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026 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

Rhymes for mariachi

See All Rhymes for mariachi

Browse Nearby Words

maria
mariachi
mariage de convenance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mariachi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mariachi. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mariachi

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mariachi

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