chingona

[ cheen-goh-nah ]

noun

1. a woman, especially a Latina, who is strong, independent, competent, intelligent, self-assured, successful, etc.:

   Chingonas do the work that rarely makes it into the “master narratives” of American history, but their influence touches us all.

   A true chingona, my mother has lived life on her own terms.

adjective

1. (of a woman, especially a Latina) strong, independent, competent, intelligent, self-assured, successful, etc.:

   She has refused to sideline her Latina flair and chingona spirit in every step of her career.

2. awesome, admirable, or impressive:

   It's a really cool, nasty, chingona bike!

Word History and Origins

Origin of chingona¹

First recorded in 1975–80; from Spanish; feminine of chingon ( def )