Burrito

Mexican food · regional history · language

Regional Mexican name. The word burrito originally came from certain parts of Mexico like Guanajuato, Guerrero, and Sonora, where people used it to describe what folks in Mexico City called a taco.

Different names everywhere. Mexico City and surrounding areas used the word taco, while other regions used burrito, and places like Yucatán and Quintana Roo had their own word, codzito, for similar foods.

Meaning got forgotten. When Mexico City's culture became more influential, the word taco became the most common name used across the country, and people started to forget what burrito and codzito originally meant.

New meanings created. Because the original meaning was lost, people started making up new definitions and stories about what a burrito was supposed to be, which is why we have so many different ideas about burritos today.