pinole

noun

pi·​no·​le pi-ˈnō-lē How to pronounce pinole (audio)
1
: a finely ground flour made from parched corn
2
: any of various flours resembling pinole and ground from the seeds of other plants

Examples of pinole in a Sentence

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.
One of their long-distance treks can accumulate as many as 400 miles in 50 hours on pinole and chia seeds alone. Andrea Aliseda, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2024 Grow a Taste of the West 1 of 6Саша Круглая for Pexels Big Saltbush (Atriplex lentiformis) Native to the southwestern United States, the seeds of Big Saltbush were eaten by native Californians in pinole, while the edible leaves are often described as salty. Deanna Kizis, Sunset Magazine, 5 Apr. 2023 Eaten across Latin America, pinole is finely ground cornmeal that’s usually mixed with spices and/or chia seeds to make a filling breakfast porridge. Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2022 Led by Ramona Button, an Akimel O'odham farmer, the family-run business grows and sells other traditional foods, such as wheat berries, corn and pinole, a type of roasted ground maize. Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, The Arizona Republic, 29 July 2021 The pantry's inventory includes blue corn pinole, popped amaranth, pumpkin atole mix, tepary beans, jarred soup mixes and coffee. Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, azcentral, 1 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, from Nahuatl pinolli

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinole was in 1648

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Cite this Entry

“Pinole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinole. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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