masa

noun

ma·​sa ˈmä-sə 

: a dough used in Mexican cuisine (as for tortillas and tamales) that is made from ground corn soaked in a lime and water solution

also : masa harina

Examples of masa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It’s best seen in the blue corn sourdough, a custardy loaf that gets a toasty, corn tortilla-like flavor from blue masa. —Mario Cortez, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Mar. 2026

The prep tables where masa real guava was being packaged was sanitized with a solution called sanitizer soup that had a concentration of 500 parts per million instead the 200 to 400 parts per million appropriate for use. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2026

So are the masa pancakes ($10), the sunrise bowl ($13) and the Hemma ‘N Out Burger (inspired by In-N-Out and for $17). —Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2026

Jaffery said that the Latino population relies heavily on corn masa products in their daily diet rather than flour and other grain products that are enriched with folic acid. —Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado january 12, Sacbee.com, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, mash, dough

First Known Use

circa 1896, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing masa

• masa harina

Rhymes for masa

• casa
• fossa
• ossa
• manasseh

Kids Definition

masa

noun

ma·​sa ˈmä-sə 

: a dough used in Mexican cuisine (as for tortillas and tamales) that is made from ground corn soaked in a lime and water solution

also : masa harina