What does burro mean?
A burro is a small donkey, most often encountered in the context of the American Southwest and Mexico, where these hardy animals have long served as pack animals. The word comes directly from Spanish, and it carries a rustic, frontier flavor: prospectors, miners, and trail travelers of the nineteenth century relied on burros to carry supplies through terrain too rough for wagons. Today the term appears in phrases like 'pack burro,' and burro racing remains a quirky competitive tradition in Colorado and New Mexico. Wild burros, descended from escaped or abandoned domestic stock, still roam desert lands managed under federal protection. Because 'burro' simply means donkey in Spanish, it pairs etymologically with 'burrito,' the Mexican food whose name literally translates as 'little donkey.' For readers, the word evokes endurance, sure-footedness, and the romantic image of a lone animal trudging up a dusty canyon trail with its load.
nounA small donkey, especially one used as a pack animal in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
- A small donkey, particularly one serving as a pack animal in the American Southwest and Mexico.
"The miner loaded his burro with supplies for the trek up the canyon."
"A sure-footed burro carried the water cans up the narrow trail."
"Wild burros still roam the deserts of Arizona and Nevada, descendants of animals abandoned by prospectors."
Standard plural; no irregular form.
"Several wild burros grazed near the watering hole."
The word 'burro' is Spanish for donkey — which is why 'burrito' literally means 'little donkey,' supposedly named after the packs or bedrolls a burro might carry.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of burro
Borrowed from Spanish 'burro,' meaning donkey, which itself derives from Latin 'burricus,' a term for a small horse. The word entered English in the nineteenth century alongside American westward expansion, as Spanish terms for animals and terrain of the Southwest passed into everyday English usage.
How burro is actually used
Chiefly used in the American Southwest; in general American English 'donkey' is more common. Plural is 'burros.'
Easily confused with burro
A burro is a small donkey, while a burrow is a hole or tunnel dug by an animal as a dwelling.