quesadilla

[ key-suh-dee-uh; Spanish ke-sah-thee-yah ]

noun

, Mexican Cooking.

, plural que·sa·dil·las [key-s, uh, -, dee, -, uh, z, ke-sah-, thee, -yahs].

1. a tortilla folded over a filling of shredded cheese, and sometimes vegetables or meat, cooked on a griddle or the like.

quesadilla

/ ˌkeɪsəˈdiːljə; -ˈdiːjə /

noun

1. a toasted tortilla filled with cheese and sometimes other ingredients

Word History and Origins

Origin of quesadilla¹

First recorded in 1940–45; from Mexican Spanish; Spanish: “a pastry or cake made with cheese,” equivalent to quesada ( queso “cheese,” from Latin cāseus; cheese ¹ + -ada noun suffix) + -illa diminutive suffix; -ade ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of quesadilla¹

C21: from Spanish, diminutive of queso cheese

Example Sentences

We liked it best, as Panthaky does himself, in the simpler quesadilla, where the brisket shines merely because it doesn’t have to muscle its way past a crowd of other ingredients to get noticed.

From Washington Post

Yes, I am indeed talking about grilled cheese sandwiches—or quesadillas, when English muffins aren’t an option.

From Outside Online

While waiting in line to order a cheese quesadilla, they said, McClain was shot in the chest.

From Time

You can also cook them into a creamy soup, or even use them as the filling for a quesadilla.

From Popular-Science

The pandemic has been the age of sourdough bread, quesadillas and … a return to oatmeal.

From Washington Post