What does tortilla mean?
A tortilla is a thin, flat, round bread made chiefly from corn or wheat flour. In English, it most often denotes the breads associated with Mexican and Southwestern US cuisines, including corn tortillas, which are typically soft and slightly chewy, and flour tortillas, which are generally softer and more pliable. Tortillas are served with fillings such as beans, cheese, meat, and vegetables, or used to make dishes including enchiladas and tacos. The term also appears in the names of tortilla chips and in Spanish dish names such as tortilla española, an omelet. Although the word comes from Spanish, where tortilla has a broader range of meanings, English speakers most commonly encounter it in a North American food context. Its concise name and familiar culinary associations make it useful for describing both the bread itself and the wider traditions of Spanish-speaking cuisines.
nounA thin, flat, round bread made primarily from corn or wheat flour, traditionally associated with Mexican and other Hispanic cuisines. In Spanish, tortilla can refer more broadly to a flat cake or pancake, depending on the region and type.
- A thin, flat, usually round bread made from corn or wheat flour and used especially in Mexican and Southwestern US cuisine.
- In Spanish and other Spanish-speaking culinary contexts, a small round cake, pancake, or flatbread of a more specific kind.
"She served warm corn tortillas alongside grilled fish, beans, and salsa."
"He warmed the tortillas on a comal before adding cheese and salsa."
"The recipe calls for a flour tortilla and a spoonful of beans."
The plural is used for multiple tortillas or for tortillas as a food category.
"The recipe requires twelve small corn tortillas."
The word that names a humble flatbread has roots in the Spanish language's tradition of small, round cakes.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tortilla come from?
The English word tortilla comes from Spanish tortilla, a diminutive of torta, meaning a cake or flatbread. Spanish torta ultimately derives from a Romance form related to Latin torta, associated with a round loaf or cake. Related forms in Italian include torta and the pasta names tortellini and tortelloni, all reflecting the same broad culinary lineage of cakes, flatbreads, and filled or shaped dough preparations.
How tortilla is actually used
In English, tortilla most often refers to a Mexican-style corn or flour bread. The word is also used more broadly for Spanish and Latin American flatbreads, but the unqualified English usage is especially common in North America and in discussion of Mexican food.
Easily confused with tortilla
A tortilla is a flat bread, while tortellini are small filled pasta parcels.