Californio
noun
Cal·i·for·nio
ˌka-lə-ˈfȯr-nē-ˌō 
plural Californios
1
: one of the original Spanish colonists of California or their descendants
2
: a native or resident of California
Examples of Californio in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Andres Pico was a Californio statesmen and acting governor of Alta California, and Lt. Col. John C. Fremont was an American army officer always on the lookout for glory, whatever his orders.
—
Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2024
Young Californio men were thus placed in a vise: They were forced to accept older gringos marrying Californio women who otherwise might have been romantic prospects for them, but the few gringo women were off limits.
—Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 June 2021
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.
Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2024
Young Californio men were thus placed in a vise: They were forced to accept older gringos marrying Californio women who otherwise might have been romantic prospects for them, but the few gringo women were off limits.
—Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 June 2021
Cite this Entry
“Californio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Californio. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share