moussaka

noun

mous·​sa·​ka mü-ˈsä-kə  ˌmü-sä-ˈkä 

variants or less commonly mousaka

: a Middle Eastern dish of ground meat (such as lamb or beef) and sliced eggplant often topped with a seasoned sauce

Examples of moussaka in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Think moussaka, souvlakia, slow-roasted lamb, and various appetizers that encourage sharing. —Lydia Mansel, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2024

Tour a 17th-century French cottage in Texas, sink into a plate of authentic Greek moussaka in Florida, and experience timeless Swiss traditions in West Virginia. —Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 30 June 2024

King Tut is also rated highly for familiar Mediterranean dishes such as falafel, kebabs and moussaka, along with freekeh soup and koshary, an Egyptian street food. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2024

The club offers Mediterranean eats, including Mezze plates, labneh, moussaka, kabobs, and more. —Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Modern Greek mousakas, from Turkish musakka, from dialect Arabic (Egypt) musaggaʽa, literally, chilled

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

moussaka

noun

mous·​sa·​ka ˌmü-sə-ˈkä 

: a Middle Eastern dish of ground meat (as lamb or beef) and sliced eggplant often topped with a seasoned sauce

Etymology

from modern Greek mousakas "moussaka"