paprika

noun

pa·​pri·​ka pə-ˈprē-kə How to pronounce paprika (audio)
pa-
: a usually mild red seasoning consisting of the dried finely ground pods of various sweet peppers
also : a sweet pepper used for making paprika

Examples of paprika in a Sentence

tomato sauce made with garlic, paprika, and pepper
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The warm umami spice blend (heavy on coriander and paprika) isn’t super hot — but gives the tangy tomato salad a lot of depth. Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 19 June 2025 Who Likes a Little Kick to It Ranging from mild to spicy, the six-bottle set features single-origin chiles and spices—like red jalapeño and hot paprika—sourced from small farms around the world. Alex Apatoff, People.com, 5 June 2025 Made with ground chicken (the dark meat kind, not the breast meat), these kebabs are generously spiced with red pepper, paprika, cumin, sumac and onion. The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2025 In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne, coriander, and cumin. Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 12 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for paprika

Word History

Etymology

Hungarian, from Serbian & Croatian, from papar ground pepper, ultimately from Latin piper — more at pepper

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paprika was in 1830

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paprika.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paprika. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

paprika

noun
pa·​pri·​ka pə-ˈprē-kə How to pronounce paprika (audio)
pa-
: a mild red spice consisting of the dried finely ground fruit of various cultivated sweet peppers

More from Merriam-Webster on paprika

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!