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

Prince Valley Market also offers a vast selection of grab-and-go meals, with, of course, a specialty of Mexican cuisine, including tamales. —Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 26 Sep. 2025

The menu includes tacos, tortas, carnitas, barbacoa, chicharrón, quesadillas, burritos, tamales, pupusas, menudo and guiso del dia, or stew of the day — all made with fresh ingredients and meats. —Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025

With all of the women having previous experience making their own style of tamale, the group had to come together and create their single signature recipe from scratch. —Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2025

Her job was to make tamales, which the store is known for. —Idaho Statesman, 15 Sep. 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