Beaner is a slang term, widely regarded as derogatory, that refers to people of Mexican descent or, more broadly, Mestizos.[1][2][3] The term originates from the prevalence of frijoles pintos and other beans in Mexican food.[3][4]
According to The Historical Dictionary of American Slang, the word was first seen in print in 1965, although the term has reportedly been in use at least since the 1940s (perhaps having evolved from previous slurs such as "bean-eater" and "bean-bandit" that were in use since as far back as the 1910s.) [1]
Although the word is generally considered pejorative, its usage is not always overtly offensive and can be fairly benign depending on the context (similar to the term "frog" for a French person.) Though perhaps once considered strictly offensive, it appears that the term may be going through a phase of melioration, where the negative connotation of an ethnic slur is "reclaimed" by those it is directed against and used in a neutral or even positive manner. [1]
Other ethnics slurs based on food include "Curry-muncher" (East Indians) and "Frog" (French).
