Tico

[ tee-koh; Spanish tee-kaw ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural Ticos

a native or inhabitant of Costa Rica.

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of Costa Rica or its inhabitants:
an exhibition of Tico art.

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of Tico¹

First recorded in 1905–10; from Latin American Spanish tico, said to be from Costa Ricans’ predilection for diminutives formed with the suffix -itico

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

By the late ’90s, the company had gobbled up the assets of most of its competitors — classic labels like Tico, Alegre and Inca.

From

Tran’s Rose Tico was the first leading role for a woman of color.

From

“I say, ‘Tico, it’s not good.’

From

Lewis, whose wry lyrics and rumbling vocals powered Reagan-era pop hits like “I Want a New Drug” and “If This Is It,” turned to people like Tico Torres, the longtime Bon Jovi drummer, whom he’d gotten to know on golfing trips.

From

One of the first examples I can remember was the case of Kelly Marie Tran, who was cast as Rose Tico in the 2017 Star Wars movie.

From

ticky-tacky Ticonderoga

Browse