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

However, a few taco spots caught our eye last year — Cafecito on Magnolia, serving tacos on pink tortillas; birria egg rolls from Avila Taco in Keller; and Polanco fine Mexican restaurant with octopus tacos in downtown. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Jan. 2026

Cris’ tortilla business, El Taquito Tortilleria, will still operate at 640 Reynolds Ave. —Kansas City Star, 5 Jan. 2026

Topped off with tortilla strips and all of the garnishes. —Krissy Tiglias, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025

Changes are coming to tortillas in California in the new year, with a new law requiring manufacturers to add folic acid to corn masa products. —Tori Apodaca, CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025

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
• coffea
• dyspnea
• dyspnoea
• hosea
• idea
• kshatriya
• maria
• medea

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"