tamale

¹ American  

[tuh-mah-lee] / təˈmɑ li /

noun

1. a Mexican dish made of minced and seasoned meat packed in cornmeal dough, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed.

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Tamale ² American  

[tuh-mah-lee] / təˈmɑ li /

noun

1. a city in N Ghana.

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tamale British  

/ təˈmɑːlɪ /

noun

1. a Mexican dish made of minced meat mixed with crushed maize and seasonings, wrapped in maize husks and steamed

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Etymology

Origin of tamale

1605–15, construed as singular of Mexican Spanish tamales, plural of tamal < Nahuatl tamalli

Example Sentences

It’s a succulent mix of cornmeal, meat, olives, raisins and other delectables cooked and wrapped in banana leaves, a kind of Venezuelan tamale.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2025

Another tamale street vendor not far from Maria's cart said she had heard of her detention and quickly teared up over what happened.

From Barron's • Oct. 11, 2025

There, a narrator and singer welcomes and regales guests with tales of how different Latin countries present stories of Santa Claus, or, say, the joy of unwrapping a tamale.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2024

Dig into tamale waffles, topped with shredded beef and two eggs or rich, cheesy shrimp and grits.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 1, 2024

He lives with his mother, a tamale maker, in a tiny wooden shack.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario