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(in Spain and countries colonized by Spain) one of the divisions into which a town or city, together with the contiguous rural territory, is divided.
a part of a large U.S. city, especially a crowded inner-city area, inhabited chiefly by a Spanish-speaking population.
Contemporary Examples

Alberto often pushed a shopping cart through his barrio, collecting cans for spare cash to support himself and his mayate.
The Undocumented Cross-Dresser Terry Greene Sterling July 2, 2010

The majority of the violence in Honduras is carried out by two main gangs, Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, and barrio 18.
The Awful Facts Behind the White House’s Plan to Help Honduras Caitlin Dickson July 26, 2014

Historical Examples

Their community lay between the Parian and the barrio of Laguio.
A History of the Philippines David P. Barrows

They had reached the barrio where the meeting was to be held.
The Golden Skull John Blaine

As he came back from a ride to one of his barrio schools he found her weeping, with her face in her pillow.
Caybigan James Hopper

Perpetua is the acknowledged belle of the ‘barrio,’ or district, where she resides, and she has many admirers.
The Pearl of the Antilles, or An Artist in Cuba Walter Goodman

Dull clouds obscured the moon, and for a long time the barrio was in darkness.
The Adventures of Piang the Moro Jungle Boy Florence Partello Stuart

Ariglúhun mu sa kapitan sa baryu, The barrio captain will arbitrate between you two.
A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan John U. Wolff

Yet the inhabitants of this barrio are quite contented and fairly comfortable.
Wanderings in the Orient Albert M. Reese

Ihúlad sa Katidral ang kapilya, Pattern the barrio chapel after the Cathedral.
A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan John U. Wolff

noun (pl) -rios
a Spanish-speaking quarter in a town or city, esp in the US
a Spanish-speaking community
n.

1841, “ward of a Spanish or Spanish-speaking city,” sometimes also used of rural settlements, from Spanish barrio “district, suburb,” from Arabic barriya “open country” (fem.), from barr “outside” (of the city). Main modern sense of “Spanish-speaking district in a U.S. city” is 1939; original reference is to Spanish Harlem in New York City.