Definition

Noun: 1. An urban area in a Spanish-speaking country: A district or neighborhood within a city or town in a Spanish-speaking nation. 2. A Spanish-speaking quarter in a town or city (especially in the United States): A community or neighborhood, often characterized by a predominant Latino or Hispanic population and culture, typically found in U.S. cities.

Usage Examples

• Sense 1 (in a Spanish-speaking country):
  • We got lost in the winding streets of the barrio.
  • The festival is a major event for the entire barrio.
• Sense 2 (Spanish-speaking community, especially in the U.S.):
  • She grew up in a vibrant barrio in Los Angeles.
  • The new community center serves the local barrio.

Advanced Usage

• The term can carry sociocultural connotations, sometimes referring to a working-class or historically marginalized urban neighborhood.
  • The artist's work is deeply influenced by his childhood in the barrio.
• It can be used to emphasize cultural identity and community cohesion.
  • There's a strong sense of pride and tradition in this barrio.

Variants and Related Words

• Barriada (n): A less common synonym, also meaning a neighborhood or district, particularly in some Spanish-speaking regions.

Synonyms

• Neighborhood
• District
• Quarter (as in "the Latin quarter")
• Community (in the sense of a geographically defined group)

Notes on Meaning

• In its original Spanish context, "barrio" is a neutral term for any city district.
• In English, particularly in a U.S. context, the word is often used specifically to denote a Latino neighborhood and can imply a distinct cultural and linguistic environment.

Noun

1. an urban area in a Spanish-speaking country
2. a Spanish-speaking quarter in a town or city (especially in the United States)