One May At A Time: An Efflorescence of Vocabulary: Cinco de Mayo – Words to Celebrate Mexico: May 5

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with English words of Spanish origin.

Following the Mexican victory over the invading French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, Mexican communities in California and eventually the rest of the United States transformed this day into a celebration of Mexican culture.
20 words 12327 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. avocado
    a pear-shaped tropical fruit with green or blackish skin
    Elbows flew as everyone scooped the mushy rice and black beans topped with avocado picked from the tree in our courtyard. The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora
  2. bodega
    small shop selling groceries, especially in a Hispanic area
    We go into different bodegas for water, Icees, chips, sunflower seeds, and it’s all as easy as the warm summer breeze. Pride
  3. conquistador
    a 16th-century Spanish conqueror of Peru and Mexico
    Those who escaped from being chopped to bits later died in horrid agony from smallpox the conquistadors spread to Mexico from Europe. Dead End in Norvelt
  4. corral
    a pen for cattle
    Each house had a small flower garden in front and a corral for animals at the back. Bless Me, Ultima
  5. desperado
    a bold outlaw
    I took to wearing the strap across my chest, the drum riding my hips like a desperado's revolver. How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
  6. fiesta
    a public celebration or party
    In fact, the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration is in Los Angeles. With huge celebrations like Fiesta Broadway and Cinco de Mayo at Olvera Street, the California city is known for their Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Good Housekeeping
  7. guacamole
    a dip made of mashed avocado
    “Are you hungry? I brought you some of those baby taquitos. The little red ones you like, with guacamole. You want some?” Summer of the Mariposas
  8. hurricane
    a severe tropical cyclone usually with heavy rains and winds
    But if we wait too long, the hurricane winds will come back, and the skinny tree trunks and boulders won’t be enough shelter. The Last Cuentista
  9. incommunicado
    without means, right, or desire to be in contact with others
    He’d often disconnect the telephone and render himself incommunicado—sometimes for weeks. Endgame
  10. iguana
    large tropical American arboreal lizard with a spiny crest
    When the El Nino rains changed the balance of nature and birds were scarce, he dined on mammals and iguanas. Frightful's Mountain
  11. lasso
    a long noosed rope used to catch animals
    Mateo would wear his cowboy hat from his Woody costume and use a shoelace as a lasso. They Both Die at the End
  12. mesa
    flat tableland with steep edges
    Cattle far out on the mesa died when hay could not be trucked in. The Milagro Beanfield War
  13. mole
    spicy sauce often containing chocolate
    Today, revelers mark the occasion with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. History.com
  14. peccadillo
    a petty misdeed
    Double parking, turnstile jumping, an open container for two—the peccadilloes of city life get quickly slapped with a ticket. New York Times
  15. renegade
    someone who rebels and becomes an outlaw
    But before I knew it, our entire party was sitting around the campfire like a gang of renegades in an old Western. Summer of the Mariposas
  16. rodeo
    an exhibition of cowboy skills
    There were four events in the rodeo: bareback bucking Hereford riding, bareback bucking pony riding, team roping of the same sad-sack cow by six entrants, and pony racing for kids. The Milagro Beanfield War
  17. tornado
    a violently destructive windstorm occurring over land
    Accusations roiled inside of me, swirling in my head like furling tornado clouds, until I thought I might explode if I didn’t let them out. Summer of the Mariposas
  18. tortilla
    thin unleavened pancake made from cornmeal or wheat flour
    He suggested pairing the dish with chalupas, small fried tortillas enjoyed with a variety of fillings; white rice; nopales salad; fried beans; and molotes de plátano, stuffed plantain patties. New York Times
  19. vamoose
    leave suddenly
    She’d vamoosed into the tall grass, and off she was headed for the jungle, where it was plain to see he’d never find her. The Poisonwood Bible
  20. vigilante
    a person who takes the law into his or her own hands
    The area was swarming with soldiers and vigilantes and Isaac knew that in order to survive, they’d have to keep moving. How I Live Now
Created on Mon May 05 12:06:16 EDT 2014 (updated Fri May 05 09:40:42 EDT 2023)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.