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Tamale Has Origins in South America
Hot tamale is sometimes used figuratively, as in our second example, to suggest sexual attractiveness, but it's the word's literal use that puts it in an interesting category. How many English food words can you name that derive from Nahuatl, a group of languages spoken by native peoples of Mexico and Central America? You've probably guessed that "tamale" gives you one; it came to us (by way of Mexican Spanish) from the Nahuatl "tamalli," a word for steamed cornmeal dough. Add to the menu "chili" (from "chīlli," identifying all those fiery peppers); "chocolate" (from "chocolātl," first used for a beverage made from chocolate and water); "guacamole" (from āhuacatl, meaning "avocado," plus mōlli, meaning "sauce"); and "tomato" (from "tomatl"). Top it all off with "chipotle" (a smoked and dried pepper), from "chīlli" and "pōctli" (meaning "something smoked").
Examples of tamale in a Sentence
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 14 May 2026
Los Hernández Tamales Just south of Yakima in Union Gap, James Beard Award-winning Los Hernández Tamales has been dedicated to tradition and handcrafted tamales since 1990.
—Vivian Chung, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2026
Modern restaurant menus, with the familiar enchiladas and tamales and hard-shell tacos, can resemble Tex-Mex, but never say that to a New Mexican local.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Brush up your Spanish and come early to this slot of a shop before the tamales sell out.
—Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tamale
Cite this Entry
“Tamale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tamale. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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tamale
noun
