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

Add the ras el hanout, cumin, coriander and paprika and stir for 15 to 30 seconds to lightly toast the spices. —Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2026

Add the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 15 seconds. —ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026

Try it with turmeric, cardamom, cayenne, paprika, coriander, allspice, cloves, oregano, cinnamon, thyme, cilantro, and garlic. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026

The classic seasonings are paprika, cumin and chili powder, so the sauce isn’t exceptionally fiery, just warm on the palate. —Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026

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