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Glite Dictionary
🤝 A close friend 🌎 A countryman
paisano

paisano

1 9.3
A friendly, informal word people use for a friend
  • noun
  • /paɪˈzɑːnoʊ/
  • Slang
translation icon : paisano
  • So, I gonna be like my paisano, Joe, the greengrocer.

Examples

  • During the festival, I enjoyed celebrating with my paisano and his family.

  • Pleasure doin' business with ya, paisano.

    54 (1998)

  • He was saving his money to buy this Chevy from some old paisano who never took it anywhere but from home to church and back.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • - We're paisanos now.

    Iron Road (2009)

  • How's tricks, paisano?

    L.A. Confidential (1997)

  • It's always nice to catch up with my old paisano over coffee.

  • When I visit my hometown, I love hanging out with my paisano from school.

Synonyms

pal
vspaisano
  • Informal
∞ 1.0

A close friend you spend time with

is informal and specifically tied to Spanish or Italian heritage usage
amigo
vspaisano
  • Informal
78 7.8

A person you like and trust, often a close friend

is similar but extends use into Italian heritage as well as Spanish
compadre
vspaisano
  • Informal
40 7.3

A close friend you trust and spend time with

is alike but not limited to Spanish community use and covers Italian heritage too
mano
vspaisano
  • Slang
20 9.8

A close male friend you call like a brother

is gender neutral in use and refers to companions across those heritages
paisan
vspaisano
  • Slang
5 9.1

A friend from the same country or background often used by Italian-American communities

is used across both Spanish and Italian heritage groups rather than only one
bucko
vspaisano
  • Archaic
3 8.8

A friendly, informal name used for a man you know well

is a general informal companion term tied to Spanish or Italian background
paesano
vspaisano
  • Informal
1 9.5

A person from the same town, region or country who is also a friend

has the same friendly sense but also applies to Spanish heritage people
compañero
vspaisano
9.6

A person who is your romantic partner and close friend

means a friendly companion rather than primarily a romantic partner

How Close

best friend
940 1.0
paisano
  • Slang
1 9.3
friend
∞ 1.0
companion
326 1.8
acquaintance
114 3.5
stranger
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

paisano singular
paisanos plural

Etymology

Paisano also became a friendly, informal name among people with the same background because it originally meant someone from your country, coming from país 'country' and paese 'village'. So calling someone a paisano is like calling them a warm 'friend' among people with shared roots.