Hispanic a Mexican bean: in the cooking of Mexico and the southwestern United States, a bean such as a pinto, kidney, or black bean
[Late 16th century. Via Spanish, Catalan fesol, and Latin phaseolus< Greek phasēlos "legume"]
Regional History
The use of the term frijole marks the Mexican American territory of south and west Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. Frijoles are sometimes called Mexican beans.
