tortilla

noun

tor·​ti·​lla tȯr-ˈtē-yə 

: a thin round of unleavened cornmeal or wheat flour bread usually eaten hot with a topping or filling (as of ground meat or cheese)

Examples of tortilla in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Whoever loses slaps the other in the face with a tortilla, usually causing water to spray out of their mouth. —Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026

Known for breakfast with pink-tortilla tacos, burritos, but also serves pink chilaquiles, molletes and sincronizadas (ham and cheese quesadillas). —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 June 2026

They can also be used as wraps in place of tortillas, shredded into soups, or sautéed with olive oil and garlic for a simpler preparation. —Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 15 June 2026

Serve the shrimp in tortillas or mix in with a few veggies. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 15 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from American Spanish (Mexico, Central America, parts of the Caribbean and South America), from Spanish, diminutive of torta "cake, pastry," going back to Late Latin tōrta "round loaf of bread" — more at tart entry 2

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tortilla

• tortilla chip

Rhymes for tortilla

• aliya
• aliyah
• althea
• apnoea
• dyspnea
• dyspnoea
• hosea
• idea
• kshatriya
• kyrie
• lutea
• maria

Kids Definition

tortilla

noun

tor·​ti·​lla tȯr-ˈtē-(y)ə 

: a thin round of unleavened cornmeal or wheat flour bread

Etymology

American Spanish, literally "little cake," from Spanish torta "cake"