sombrero

noun

som·​bre·​ro səm-ˈbrer-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce sombrero (audio)
säm-
plural sombreros
: an often high-crowned hat of felt or straw with a very wide brim worn especially in the Southwest and Mexico

Illustration of sombrero

Illustration of sombrero

Examples of sombrero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Big blue sombrero Monday, November 25, 2024: The James Webb Space Telescope's brand-new image of the Sombrero Galaxy casts this city of stars in a new light — mid-infrared light, to be precise — and reveals clumps of dust in a mottled outer ring. Space.com Staff, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2025 By the 1990s, the chain boasted over 200 locations, serving up chimichangas and celebratory sombreros to families across parts of America. Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 Ball caps, Stetsons and sombreros, baby strollers, toasters and Crock-Pots, lucha libre masks, belts and shoes burst from open storefronts and vendors’ sidewalk card tables. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024 For many, the brand represents family dinners, sizzling fajitas, and birthday celebrations under oversized sombreros—a specific slice of the past that’s hard to replicate. Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sombrero 

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from sombra shade

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sombrero was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near sombrero

Cite this Entry

“Sombrero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sombrero. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

sombrero

noun
som·​bre·​ro səm-ˈbre(ə)r-ō How to pronounce sombrero (audio)
säm-
plural sombreros
: a tall hat with a very wide brim worn especially in the Southwest and Mexico
Etymology

from Spanish sombrero "a wide-brimmed hat," from sombra "shade"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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