elotero
/eloteɾo/from spelling rules
The Spanish term for 'corn man' is elotero.
The term elotero refers specifically to a street vendor who sells corn on the cob, usually from a street cart. It is not used to describe a farmer or a general merchant who deals in corn commodities.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is formed from elote, meaning corn on the cob and the suffix -ero, which denotes a person who sells or deals in a specific commodity.
How do you pronounce it?
/eloteɾo/
Did you know?
- The word elote originates from the Classical Nahuatl language, spoken by the Aztecs, rather than from Spanish roots.
- In Mexico, an elotero typically sells elotes, which are corn cobs slathered in mayonnaise, chili powder, lime and cheese.
- An elotero is often identified by the distinct sound of their cart's horn or a specific call used to announce their arrival in a neighborhood.
Examples in context
- El vendedor de maíz siempre tiene las mejores mazorcas.The corn vendor always has the best cobs.
- El elotero está cerca de la plaza.The corn man is near the plaza.
- Le di propina al elotero.I gave a tip to the corn man.
- ¿Viene el elotero por esta calle?Is the corn man coming down this street?
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are deciding what to eat for a snack.
- SofíaMateo, ¿tienes hambre?Mateo, are you hungry?
- MateoSí, ¿qué podemos comer?Yes, what can we eat?
- SofíaPodemos comprarle algo al elotero.We can buy something from the corn man.
- Mateo¡Buena idea, vamos!Good idea, let's go!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries elotero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
