1. a roguish hero in literature, especially in Spanish picaresque novels
Usage: literary
2. a person who lives by their wits, often through petty crime or deception

Examples

• The novel’s picaro wandered from town to town, surviving through clever schemes.
• Don Quixote’s Sancho Panza represents a classic picaro character.
• The street-smart picaro charmed his way out of trouble with the authorities.
• Spanish literature is famous for its picaresque tales featuring the adventures of a picaro.
• The young picaro relied on wit rather than wealth to make his way in the world.
• Critics praised the author’s modern interpretation of the traditional picaro figure.