Glossary

It's not surprising that a city as unique as Santa Fe has developed its own unique vocabulary. The glossary at right will give you some insight into the local lingo.

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acequia: an irrigation ditch or canal

acre-foot: the volume, as of irrigation water, that would cover one acre to a depth of one foot (325,851 gallons)

adobe: sun-dried bricks or plaster made from a mixture of dirt, sand, chopped straw, and water

alameda: Spanish for “cottonwood tree,” this word has come to mean a road bordered by cottonwoods.

Anasazi: (“the ancients”) the name of the prehistoric Native American inhabitants of northern Arizona and New Mexico and southwestern Colorado

arroyo: a water-carved gully or channel. Arroyos are typically dry except when it rains heavily.

banco: a curved area around or adjacent to the fireplace in an adobe home, often used for display or seating

bosque: a small, low-lying wooded area often located near a river

camino: Spanish for “road”

canale: a drain spout (sometimes decorative)

casa: Spanish for “house” or “home”

casita: a small house—often a guest house

chamisa: a bush with yellow flowers that bloom in late summer

chile: a type of pepper (often hot). In New Mexico, chile refers especially to green chile, an abundant state crop, and to chile sauce (see “red or green?” below), typically served with or on traditional dishes.

corbel: a piece of wood, often decorative, topping a post and supporting a beam

coved ceiling: a scalloped, vaulted plaster ceiling usually featuring vigas or beams

coyote fence: a rustic fence created by wiring branches together

farolito: (Spanish for “little lantern”) a traditional Mexican Christmas lantern consisting of a candle set in sand inside a paper bag; often referred to as a luminaria outside of Santa Fe

fresco: painting on fresh, moist plaster with water-based pigments

horno: a traditional round earthen wood oven, usually located outdoors and often used to bake bread

juniper:  a high-desert evergreen with needles and bluish berries

kiva: a small, rounded fireplace named after the round ceremonial rooms of Native American pueblos

La Fonda: Spanish for “the hotel”

La Posada: Spanish for “the inn''

latilla: a small branch, often stripped cedar or pine, laid perpendicular to larger ceiling beams or vigas

lintel: an exposed horizontal support beam that spans a window or doorway

llano: an open grassy plain

mesa: (Spanish for “table”) an isolated, relatively flat-topped natural elevation usually more extensive than a butte and less extensive than a plateau

milagro: (Spanish for “miracle”) a small silver or gold charm in the shape of a body part, animal, fruit, vegetable, etc. Milagros are often attached to statues of saints and are used as components of jewelry; they are intended as a reminder of a particular need or as thanks for answered prayers.

nicho: a small carved-out wall space for the display of art and other curios or valuables

Northern New Mexico style: an architectural style characterized by long portales; large windows; and pitched, usually metal roofs that are sometimes brightly colored

parapet: a low wall or railing along the edge of a roof

paseo: a passage or walkway; as a verb, “to promenade”

passive solar: a type of architectural design in which a home is constructed and positioned to take advantage the sun’s cycles without using any solar-energy equipment. This helps reduce the costs of heating and cooling.

pico de gallo: (Spanish for “rooster’s beak”) a relish or salsa made of finely chopped ingredients—onions, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, tomatoes—mixed with seasonings such as lime juice and fresh cilantro.

piñon: a slow-growing evergreen pine that bears edible nuts in the fall. The piñon is the state tree of New Mexico.

placita: a small plaza

portal: an attached covered porch or patio supported by usually large, sometimes decorative, wooden posts and corbels.

Pueblo style: inspired by traditional Native American homes, this architectural style features thick, round-edged adobe walls; flat roofs with no overhang; stepped levels; rounded parapets; canales; vigas; latillas; deep window and door openings; kiva fireplaces; bancos; nichos; and brick, wood, or flagstone floors.

pumice-crete: a low-density, resource-efficient, and economical concrete consisting of pumice aggregate, portland cement, and water that combines structural strength and insulation 

ramada: a roofed shelter, usually with open sides

Rastra: a concrete form system made of a lightweight material called Thastyron, which provides a permanent framework for a grid of reinforced concrete

“red or green?”: the official state question of New Mexico. Commonly heard at restaurants, the question refers to which kind of chile sauce a diner wants served with (or, more commonly, on) his or her meal. Red chile is made from ground dried red chile pods and has a rich, earthy flavor and a sweet punch. Green chile is made from fresh green chiles that have been roasted, peeled and chopped; it is fresher, fruitier tasting and slightly more acidic. Diners who want both red and green chile ask for “Christmas.”

retablo: (Spanish for “behind the altar”) a small painting, usually on a wood carving and typically representing a saint

ristra: a decorative string of dried red chile pods

Russian olive: a large ornamental shrub or small tree with silvery foliage

sala: living room

Saltillo tile: usually square clay or terra-cotta tile most often used for flooring. Saltillo tile is traditionally cured in the sun but is now often fired. 

santo: a carved wooden statue of a saint

sopaipilla: a crisp, puffy, deep-fried pastry served with honey or filled with savory ingredients, such as beans or meat. Sopaipillas are said to have originated in Albuquerque more than 200 years ago.

stucco: a material usually made of portland cement, sand, and a small amount of lime and used as a covering for exterior walls; also, a fine plaster used in decoration and ornamentation of interior walls

Talavera tile: colorful hand-decorated tile used for countertops and trim

Territorial style: an architectural style characterized by squared-off adobe construction; brick coping at the top of the structure; square beams rather than round vigas; and more formal, Victorian-style windows.

torreon: a round tower, similar to those built for defense and lookout purposes in early Spanish settlements

viga: a large round log used as an exposed ceiling beam or rafter

zaguan: an entry hall or courtyard

zozobra: a giant effigy, also known as Old Man Gloom, burned every autumn during the Santa Fe Fiesta