English Reference
noun · verb

burrito

n. · v.
US /bɝˈitoʊ/ UK /bʌɹˈiːtəʊ/ bur·ri·to UK spelling burritos

  1. 01 A2 Elementary Cooking

    n.a Mexican dish made of a large, soft flour tortilla wrapped around meat, beans, rice, and cheese.

    n.a Mexican culinary preparation consisting of a flour tortilla folded and rolled to completely enclose a filling of protein, legumes, and other condiments.

    Simple

    I ordered a bean and cheese burrito for lunch at the local café.

    In context

    The street vendor specialized in authentic northern-style burritos, using handmade flour tortillas and slow-cooked shredded beef.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced SlangInformal

    v.to wrap someone or something very tightly in a blanket or cloth.

    v.to wrap a person or object tightly in fabric, mimicking the appearance of the food item.

    Simple

    It was so cold that I decided to burrito myself in three blankets.

    In context

    The parents managed to burrito the fussy infant in a soft muslin cloth, which immediately helped the child settle down for a nap.

    Usage

    Often used reflexively or with a direct object representing a person or pet.

    swaddlebundlewrap
    unwrap

Borrowed from Spanish burrito, diminutive of burro (“donkey”), from burrico (“donkey”), from Latin burricus (“small horse”), from burrus (“red-brown”), from Ancient Greek πυρρός (purrhós, “flame-colored”), from πῦρ (pûr, “fire”). The food is so called because of its resemblance to a rolled up pack as typically carried by donkeys, making it an example of synecdoche.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Ancient Greek πυρρός
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated