Idiom idiom
Mexican breakfast
Meaning
A breakfast consisting of a cigarette and a glass of water.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“He skipped food and had a Mexican breakfast instead.”
“After a long night, he settled for a Mexican breakfast before heading to work.”
“The weary traveler opted for a Mexican breakfast, ignoring his hunger as he stared blankly at the morning news.”
Origin
disputed origin
disputed origin
The term is said to have originated as a slur regarding the poverty of Mexicans, based on the unproven claim that a cigarette and a glass of water were the only items they could afford for the morning meal.
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026