Cajun

1 of 2

noun

Ca·​jun ˈkā-jən How to pronounce Cajun (audio)
variants or less commonly Cajan
: a Louisianian descended from French-speaking immigrants from Acadia

Cajun

2 of 2

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Cajuns
2
: of, relating to, or prepared in a style of cooking originating among the Cajuns and characterized by the use of hot seasonings (such as cayenne pepper)

Examples of Cajun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Third up was Cajun salmon with mashed potatoes and corn. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024 One-Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice Cajun or Creole seasoning infuses this dish with loads of flavor. Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2024 New food-and-drink spots will include: Cajun Market, a fast-casual Cajun-Creole restaurant; Nostalgia Hollow Co., a coffee and home goods shop; and Super Icy Brothers, a frozen dessert shop. Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2024 Get The Recipe 06 of 47 Cajun Shrimp Boil Pasta Skip the messy shrimp boil and throw all those delicious flavors into one satisfying bowl of pasta. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2024 Buy It: Crock-Pot 7-Quart Cook & Carry Programmable Easy-Clean Slow Cooker ($75, Target) Red Beans and Rice Soup with Cajun Chicken Channel Mardi Gras celebrations any day of the week with this easy comfort soup recipe. Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Feb. 2024 Local restaurants and food trucks will be on-site with every creole and Cajun dish imaginable. Ronny Maye, Essence, 12 Feb. 2024 Our classic Cajun étouffée starts with a simply seasoned roux and closely resembles the original 1920s dish created by Mrs. Charles Hebert at the Breaux Bridge Hebert Hotel. Jorie Nicole McDonald, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2024 Prices start at $8 for the sandwiches and range up to $19 for the more substantial dishes like Cajun Chicken Pasta. Ana Calderone, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Cajun.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of Acadian

First Known Use

Noun

1868, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Cajun was in 1868

Dictionary Entries Near Cajun

Cite this Entry

“Cajun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cajun. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Cajun

1 of 2 noun
Ca·​jun ˈkā-jən How to pronounce Cajun (audio)
: a Louisianian whose ancestors were French-speaking immigrants from Acadia, Canada

Cajun

2 of 2 adjective
1
: of or relating to the Cajuns
2
: prepared in a cooking style originating with the Cajuns and marked by the use of hot seasonings (as cayenne pepper)
Etymology

Noun

from an altered form of Acadian

More from Merriam-Webster on Cajun

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