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

One of the most iconic dishes is the tlayuda ($19), a plate-sized, paper-thin tortilla griddled until crisp. —Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 20 Dec. 2025

This new menu item combines crispy chicken with lettuce and tomato slices, which are topped with creamy buttermilk ranch and a slice of melty American cheese, wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla. —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2025

Once fried, the tortilla should still be light, crispy and airy as well as not too greasy but also snappy and flaky — so they’re cooked not too little and not too much, but just right. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Dec. 2025

There’s also an Adobo Chicken Taco, which starts with a soft flour tortilla and adds adobo chicken, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, Monterey Jack cheese and romaine lettuce. —Erin Clements, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 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"