What does wetback mean?
“Wetback” is a highly derogatory American term for a Mexican immigrant or a person of Mexican descent, especially one employed in agricultural labor. The expression developed in the early 20th century as a compound of “wet” and “back,” referring to workers whose clothing and bodies became soaked while tending crops in wet fields or irrigation ditches. Although it began with an apparently occupational description, it was quickly used as a hostile label intended to demean and stigmatize Mexican laborers. Over time, its use broadened beyond agricultural employment and became one of the most notorious anti-Mexican slurs in English. The word may appear in historical sources, legal proceedings, literary criticism, or discussions of discrimination, where quotation marks or explanatory context make clear its offensive status. In contemporary usage, however, it is normally inappropriate; alternatives such as “Mexican immigrant,” “Mexican American,” or “Latino” should be used when they accurately describe the person concerned. Its history makes it important to recognize not only its literal associations but also its lasting capacity to insult and exclude.
nounAn offensive term for a Mexican immigrant or a person of Mexican descent, especially one working in agriculture.
- An offensive term for a Mexican immigrant or a person of Mexican descent.
- Historically, a term for a Mexican agricultural laborer whose work involved getting soaked in irrigated fields.
"The author condemns the use of “wetback” as a humiliating label for Mexican farm workers."
"The historical document uses the term to demean Mexican laborers."
"The narrator strongly condemns the derogatory language used against the family."
The regular plural is “wetbacks,” but the term is an offensive slur and is generally avoided in contemporary use.
"In the quoted historical document, the writer uses “wetbacks” as a hostile label for Mexican laborers."
A description of farm workers soaked in irrigation water developed into one of the most notorious anti-Mexican slurs in American English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of wetback
The expression is an American compound of “wet” and “back” that developed in the early 20th century. It referred to Mexican farm laborers whose work in irrigated fields left them wet, and the occupational description was soon used derisively. Despite that practical origin, the term became established as a degrading label for Mexican immigrants and people of Mexican descent.
How wetback is actually used
The term is highly derogatory and is considered an anti-Mexican slur. Its historical appearance in literature, journalism, or historical records does not make the word acceptable in ordinary contemporary use.