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

Inspectors saw raw shelled eggs stored on top of the tortilla box in a walk-in refrigerator in the kitchen. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 21 Mar. 2025

Champions will also get to savor the flavor of Texas-style chili topped with Cheddar cheese and jalapeños, which is a slight change from Scheffler's 2023 soup course, chicken tortilla soup. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Mar. 2025

Steak and fish are also back on the menu as the main course, but instead of a first course featuring tortilla soup, this year’s dinner will feature a Texas-style chili. —Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025

Crispy corn tortillas are covered in layers of guacamole, black beans, jicama slaw, pineapple and paprika mayo. —Arika Herron, Axios, 24 Feb. 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"