wetback

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wetback

/ˈwɛtbæk/

Where it comes from

First used in the 1920s from the presumed effects of swimming or wading across the Rio Grande. Used by the U.S. Government in 1954 with Operation Wetback.

noun wetbacks

derogatory, slang A Mexican or Central American who illegally enters the United States of America from its southern border. 1920, Temporary admission of illiterate Mexican laborers: Hearings before the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, House of Representatives, 66th Congress, 2nd Session, p. 141, Mr. HUDSPETH. […] I stood here and did all in my power to keep the “wetback” […] from coming across. And I stand he
Similar: mojado
derogatory, slang A person of the mestizo race; a mojado.

Translations

Every language

noun Mexican or Central American who illegally enters the United States

Español	mojado, espalda mojada

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Cite this

MLA

"wetback." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/wetback. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

wetback. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/wetback

Chicago

"wetback." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/wetback.

BibTeX

@misc{wetback_2026,
  title = {wetback},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/wetback},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}