jarabe tapatío

[ Spanish hah-rah-ve tah-pah-tee-aw ]

noun

1. a dance of Mexican origin, performed by a couple and consisting of nine figures and melodies, in which the partners often dance facing each other but not touching.

Word History and Origins

Origin of jarabe tapatío¹

< Mexican Spanish; Spanish jarabe literally, sweetened drink, syrup; tapatío pertaining to Guadalajara (allegedly a word used in this region of Mexico for a serving of three tortillas, originally a unit of cacao bean currency < Nahuatl tlapatiotl price, value)

Example Sentences

In another first, the opening ceremony included a wheelchair performance of the jarabe tapatio, the folkloric tradition known abroad as the “Mexican hat dance.”

From Washington Times

In another first, the opening ceremony included a wheelchair performance of the jarabe tapatio, the folkloric tradition known abroad as the “Mexican hat dance.”

From Seattle Times

Vizguerra, the Colorado mother, danced the steps of “el jarabe tapatio,” better known as the Mexican hat dance, when a mariachi band began playing.

From Washington Post

Dancers on hand at the airport moved to a  number of well-known Mexican songs, including “Jarabe Tapatio,” a traditional dance tune from the northern state of Jalisco. 

From Los Angeles Times