ran·che·ria \ˌranchəˈrēə\noun (-s) Etymology: Mexican Spanish ranchería, from ranchero + Spanish -ía -y (from Latin -ia ) 1.: a dwelling place of a ranchero 2.: a small settlement often consisting of huts occupied especially by Amerindians or Mexicans < it was among these rancherias … that the missions found their most fertile field for labor — F.M. & Marie Keesing >