# mariachi

/ˌmɑɹiˈɑtʃi/ (US) · /mˌæɹɪˈætʃi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mariachi
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the musical style

noun · CEFR B2

a traditional style of Mexican music that usually features guitars, violins, and trumpets.

For teachers: a genre of traditional Mexican music characterized by specific instrumentation, including violins, guitars, and trumpets.

- The restaurant played lively mariachi to entertain the guests during dinner.
- Ethnomusicologists study mariachi as a vital expression of Mexican cultural identity, noting its evolution from rural folk roots to a national symbol.

### 2. the band or group

noun · CEFR B2

a group of musicians who play mariachi music, often wearing traditional decorated suits.

For teachers: a musical ensemble that performs mariachi music, typically consisting of at least three musicians.

- We hired a mariachi to play at my sister's wedding reception.
- The mariachi arrived in full charro costume, their silver-studded trousers catching the light as they began the first song.

### 3. an individual musician

noun · CEFR B2

a person who plays in a mariachi band.

For teachers: an individual performer within a mariachi ensemble.

- The young mariachi practiced his trumpet every day to join his father's band.
- Each mariachi in the group must be a versatile performer, often alternating between singing and playing their instrument.

### 4. relating to the music

adjective · CEFR B2

describing something related to this style of Mexican music or the people who play it.

For teachers: pertaining to the traditional Mexican musical genre or its associated performers.

- She loves the sound of mariachi guitars during the festival.
- The documentary explores the history of mariachi culture and its influence on modern Latin American pop music.

## Examples

- The mariachi band played a lively song at the wedding.
- We spent the evening dancing to the music of a local mariachi band in the central square of the town.
- The festival featured a grand procession of mariachi musicians, their brass instruments gleaming under the midday sun as they performed traditional folk songs for the cheering crowd.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.