boricua

[ baw-ree-kwuh ]

noun

1. a Puerto Rican, or person of Puerto Rican descent:

   He’s a proud boricua.

adjective

1. of or relating to Puerto Rico or Puerto Ricans: The new production of West Side Story will prioritize boricua casting.

   the top ten boricua restaurants in New York;

   The new production of West Side Story will prioritize boricua casting.

Word History and Origins

Origin of boricua¹

First recorded in 1945–50; from Taíno Borikén “the great land of the valiant and noble lord” (the name of the island)

Example Sentences

He zigzags gracefully from the reggae love paean “Manifestación de Amor,” with boricua band Gomba Jahbari, to the bossa tinged “Besos de Invierno.”

From Los Angeles Times

In the green room, Gluckstein has a photo album in which his much-younger self poses with Jennifer Lopez and Willie Colón, the Boricua salsa music titan.

From Los Angeles Times

Lenticular photos, which change depending on your viewpoint, showcase the stark wealth inequities; flags and tourist campaigns fashioned from blue hurricane tarps become protest signs for Native Boricua rights under UV light.

From Seattle Times

Myke Towers, “Lala” This effervescent reggaetón smash became the Boricua rapper’s highest-charting song, climbing to No. 5 on Spotify’s global songs.

From Los Angeles Times

The Boricua superstar may be the only person allowed to speak in his channel — which now has a wait list to join — but within its first few hours, he spilled enough tea to keep fans engrossed.

From Los Angeles Times