"pachuco" means: An argot spoken by that group, sometimes known as caló.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
pachuco
(uncountable) An argot spoken by that group, sometimes known as caló.
Definitions
#1·Apr 27, 2026
(uncountable) An argot spoken by that group, sometimes known as caló.
For parents
"pachuco" means: An argot spoken by that group, sometimes known as caló.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"pachuco" means: An argot spoken by that group, sometimes known as caló.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(US, countable) A Mexican American, especially a juvenile delinquent in the Los Angeles area.
They asked him if he was a pachuco. He said all the pachucos he knew of lived in El Paso. He told em he didn’t know any Mexican pachucos.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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Other words near "pachuco" (P)
Pablopablumpacpac-a-macpacemanpa chew chengPacific loonpacifierpackaged petroleum productpackage holidaypackage storepack a sad
Browse all slang words starting with P.