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

The wrap features chicken breast, barbecue sauce and tortilla strips in a flour tortilla. —Fielding Buck, Oc Register, 27 Jan. 2026

This protein comes from a serving of ground beef (4 ounces or 113 grams cooked), a slice of cheese, beans (¼ cup), rice (¼ cup), and a tortilla. —Merve Ceylan, Health, 27 Jan. 2026

Leftovers are terrific served over corn cakes or folded into tortillas. —The Know, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026

Two of the older sisters have worked in the restaurant for decades, making the tortillas by hand day in and day out and ringing up orders for customers patiently waiting in line. —Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 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
• 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"