masala

noun

ma·​sa·​la mä-ˈsä-lä How to pronounce masala (audio)
-lə,
mə-
: a varying blend of spices used in Indian cooking

Examples of masala in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Street-style Indian Food Many restaurants in the U.S. have a similar roster of dishes from northern India: tandoori chicken, saag paneer, chicken tikka masala. Jasmine Ting, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2023 Lime juice, fresh ginger, a touch of fresh chile and a bit of sugar or honey form a dressing with chaat masala that helps pull the juices out of the ripe fruit. G. Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2023 At Camp, dinner might include a seafood tostada with a tomatillo vinaigrette, a mushroom vol-au-vent with sherry-sorghum cream sauce, or a lamb T-bone flavored with tikka masala. Chelsea Brasted, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2023 There’s a modern twist to their Punjabi food, like their hand-cut fries that are seasoned with a tikka masala spice mix and topped with chicken tikka masala curry, a play on Manu’s love for al pastor fries. Jean Trinh, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2023 Among its fest fare are tikka masala tacos ($6), vegetarian samosa ($4) and chaat fries ($7) . Shanzeh Ahmad, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2023 With an extensive menu — from burgers to tikka masala — there’s something to satisfy every craving. oregonlive, 18 July 2023 The red quinoa and red kidney bean masala was a juicy, wildly flavorful and many-textured take on Indian street snacks. Michelle Huneven, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2023 Tikka Shack Located on the east side of The District, Tikka Shack serves Indian cuisine including tikka masala, samosas, southern curry and kabob bowls. Endia Fontanez, The Arizona Republic, 15 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'masala.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu masālā materials, ingredients, spices

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of masala was in 1780

Dictionary Entries Near masala

Cite this Entry

“Masala.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masala. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on masala

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!