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 dish represents the best of the city, nestled in a warm tortilla. —Edmund Tijerina, Bon Appétit, 27 Feb. 2025

Then, eat the scramble on its own or wrap it in a corn tortilla to make a burrito. —Caroline Tien, SELF, 26 Feb. 2025

The hefty fish tacos — swordfish, tuna (cooked pretty rare), and wahoo — are served on corn tortillas with cabbage, salsa and a lime crema drizzled on top. —Kate Murphy, Axios, 26 Feb. 2025

The Caliente Cantina Chicken Soft Taco has chicken, lettuce, purple cabbage, shredded cheese, pico de gallo and Caliente sauce in each soft tortilla. —Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 25 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"