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Tamale Has Origins in South America
Hot tamale is sometimes used figuratively, as in our second example, to suggest sexual attractiveness, but it's the word's literal use that puts it in an interesting category. How many English food words can you name that derive from Nahuatl, a group of languages spoken by native peoples of Mexico and Central America? You've probably guessed that "tamale" gives you one; it came to us (by way of Mexican Spanish) from the Nahuatl "tamalli," a word for steamed cornmeal dough. Add to the menu "chili" (from "chīlli," identifying all those fiery peppers); "chocolate" (from "chocolātl," first used for a beverage made from chocolate and water); "guacamole" (from āhuacatl, meaning "avocado," plus mōlli, meaning "sauce"); and "tomato" (from "tomatl"). Top it all off with "chipotle" (a smoked and dried pepper), from "chīlli" and "pōctli" (meaning "something smoked").
Examples of tamale in a Sentence
Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
Diners can order steak and eggs Benedict, hot toddy French toast, tamales and other seasonal dishes.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
Endosperm makes excellent bread, rice, or tamales.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Dozens of people from the Phoenix metropolitan area voted and ranked The Tamale Store as the best tamales in the region in the La Voz Arizona contest.
—Paula Soria, AZCentral.com, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tamale
Cite this Entry
“Tamale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tamale. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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tamale
noun
