piñata

[ pin-yah-tuh; Spanish pee-nyah-tah ]

noun

, plural pi·ña·tas [pin-, yah, -t, uh, z, pee-, nyah, -tahs].

1. (in Mexico and Central America) colorful papier-mâché figure or cheerfully decorated crock filled with toys, candy, etc., and suspended from above, especially during Christmas or birthday festivities, so that children, who are blindfolded, may break it or knock it down with sticks and release the contents.

piñata

/ ˌpɪnˈjata /

noun

1. a papier-mâché party decoration filled with sweets, hung up during parties, and struck with a stick until it breaks open

Word History and Origins

Origin of piñata¹

1885–90; < Spanish: literally, pot < Italian pignatta, probably derivative of dial. pigna pinecone (from the pot's shape) < Latin pīnea, noun use of feminine of pīneus of the pine tree; pine ¹, -eous

Word History and Origins

Origin of piñata¹

Spanish, from Italian pignatta , probably from dialect pigna , from Latin pinea pine cone

Example Sentences

With Hillary in the shadows now, Trump’s new pinata on the domestic front is Senator Elizabeth Warren, a presumable Democratic Presidential candidate.

From Salon

In Mexico City, a man protested Trump's remarks by making a large pinata that was intended to look like Trump with wild hair and a big mouth.

From Los Angeles Times

But after a mere three months in Massachusetts, he had lost every last bit of Spanish -- save for "hola" and a perfectly pronounced "pinata."

From New York Times

“Up until this point, I’ve just made some deservedly mean jokes” about pinatas, Oliver said.

From Salon

The game involves a revolving mobile of pinatas, and, like in the traditional game, Arnett was blindfolded.

From Time