tortilla

noun

tor·​ti·​lla tȯr-ˈtē-yə 

: a thin round of unleavened cornmeal or wheat flour bread usually eaten hot with a topping or filling (as of ground meat or cheese)

Examples of tortilla in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The new Homestyle Breakfast Burrito rolls up sausage, cheese, and eggs in a flour tortilla and is served with a side of Texas Pete Hot Sauce. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 May 2025

It’s wrapped in a flour tortilla that transforms into a golden, flaky pastry in the deep fryer. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025

Guests are expected to bring their own food and drinking water, but a Navajo taco dinner—prepared with fry bread instead of tortillas—can be arranged through Yazzie. —Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2025

Velvet Taco: Back for the day, the 420 Blazin’ Taco is packed with mac and cheese, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos chicken tenders, chile aioli and fruity pebbles — all wrapped in a flour tortilla for $4.20. —Nayeli Jaramillo-Plata, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from American Spanish (Mexico, Central America, parts of the Caribbean and South America), from Spanish, diminutive of torta "cake, pastry," going back to Late Latin tōrta "round loaf of bread" — more at tart entry 2

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tortilla

• tortilla chip

Rhymes for tortilla

• aliya
• aliyah
• althea
• apnoea
• coffea
• dyspnea
• dyspnoea
• hosea
• idea
• kshatriya
• maria
• medea

Kids Definition

tortilla

noun

tor·​ti·​lla tȯr-ˈtē-(y)ə 

: a thin round of unleavened cornmeal or wheat flour bread

Etymology

American Spanish, literally "little cake," from Spanish torta "cake"