burro

noun

bur·​ro ˈbər-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce burro (audio) ˈbu̇r- How to pronounce burro (audio)
ˈbə-(ˌ)rō
plural burros
Synonyms of burronext
: donkey sense 1
The farm boasted an array of animals including goats, a burro, geese, ducks, chickens and an Irish water spaniel named Mr. Dooley …—Dorothy and John Tarrant
especially : a small donkey used as a pack animal
… bought a burro on which to pack their kit. —Frank Norris
Figures darker than the gloom approached and took shape, and in the light turned out to be those of a white man and a heavily packed burro. —Zane Grey

Synonyms of burro

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of burro in a Sentence

used a burro to carry the supplies
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Come for the design, stay for the tagliolini cacio e burro (fresh pasta with butter and cheese). — Laura Itzkowitz, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026 The statue was modeled after a real burro that lived in the canyon in the early 20th century. — Chris Boyette, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 For more than five decades, the Department has been charged with protecting and humanely managing wild horses and burros on public lands. — Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 Some common options for hanging pots include succulents like burro's tail or string of pearls, trailing lantana, and trailing verbena. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for burro

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, irregular from borrico, from Late Latin burricus small horse

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of burro was in 1775

Rhymes for burro

See All Rhymes for burro

Browse Nearby Words

burr mill
burro
burro's tail
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Burro.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burro. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

burro

noun
bur·​ro ˈbər-ō How to pronounce burro (audio) ˈbu̇r- How to pronounce burro (audio)
ˈbə-rō
plural burros
: a small donkey often used as a pack animal

More from Merriam-Webster on burro

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about burro

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All