paprika

noun

pa·​pri·​ka pə-ˈprē-kə 

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

An entire pig is filled with a mix of yellow peas, white rice, onions, and garlic and seasoned with a blend of spices, such as cumin, green onions, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. —Cat Sposato, AFAR Media, 15 May 2025

Join 1 other in the comments View Comments 2 stale baguettes, cut into small cubes 2 tablespoons of paprika Salt and pepper Water A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil Instructions Separate the garlic into cloves and dice finely. —Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 11 May 2025

Meanwhile, whisk together garlic powder, paprika, baking powder, 3/4 cup of the flour, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl until well combined. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 7 May 2025

Tasters enjoyed this product—its unique sweetness came from apricot purée (jammy!), which was not overly fruity, and was well-balanced by apple cider vinegar and spices such as garlic and onion powders and paprika. —Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 May 2025

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

Rhymes for paprika

• arnica
• carica
• rebekah
• turcica
• chica

Kids Definition

paprika

noun

pa·​pri·​ka pə-ˈprē-kə 

pa-

: a mild red spice consisting of the dried finely ground fruit of various cultivated sweet peppers