tamale

noun

ta·​ma·​le tə-ˈmä-lē 

: cornmeal dough rolled with ground meat or beans seasoned usually with chili, wrapped usually in corn husks, and steamed

Examples of tamale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rob Thomas played for guests while tamales, esquites, and tacos were served up as snacks on the beach. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 11 June 2025

Both days will feature different spots serving bites of ramen, wagyu, éclairs, baklava, tamales, bbq meatballs, pesto gnocchi, spring rolls and more. —Kate Murphy, Axios, 21 May 2025

Now relatives in New York and Colombia are mourning the bright entrepreneurial woman who her sister said dreamed of becoming a beautician and sold tamales and empanadas in the neighborhood during summer months. —Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025

There are several Colombian restaurants in Miami, doling out classics like tamales, bandeja paisa and ajiaco. —Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish tamales, plural of tamal tamale, from Nahuatl tamalli steamed cornmeal dough

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tamale

• colley
• collie
• dolly
• folly
• golly
• holly
• jolley
• jolly
• lolly
• mollie
• molly
• ollie

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Kids Definition

tamale

noun

ta·​ma·​le tə-ˈmäl-ē 

: cornmeal dough rolled with ground meat or beans seasoned usually with chili, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed

Geographical Definition

Tamale

geographical name

Ta·​ma·​le tä-ˈmä-lā 

town in northern Ghana population 371,351