arepa

American  

[uh-rey-puh, ah-re-pah] / əˈreɪ pə, ɑˈrɛ pɑ /

noun

1. a Colombian or Venezuelan cornmeal cake, sometimes stuffed with savory fillings.

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Etymology

Origin of arepa

First recorded in 1920–25; from Carib arepa, erepa “corn, cornmeal, cornmeal cake”

Explanation

An arepa is a South American flatbread made of finely-ground cornmeal. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, arepas are often filled with cheese, meat, avocado, or beans. An arepa looks a little like an English muffin — it's a corn cake that's commonly eaten with meals or as a snack in Columbia and Venezuela. Arepas can also be split in half and made into a savory sandwich, or deep fried with egg or other fillings inside. The word arepa is borrowed from the Cumanagoto erepa, "corn" or "cornbread."

Example Sentences

In Florida, 90 minutes south of Mar-a-Lago, a jubilant crowd gathered outside an arepa restaurant, honking horns, cheering and waving Venezuelan and American flags.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 2026

I usually eat it plain, but it's great over rice, in salads, in tacos, alongside tostones or platanos, atop an arepa, or however else you might want to enjoy it.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2024

There are many online recipes on how to make an arepa.

From Salon • Jul. 22, 2023

For lunch or dinner, I prefer a more filling arepa.

From Salon • Jul. 22, 2023

When the simple midday meal of corn arepa and black coffee was finished, Josè descended into the quiet town.

From Carmen Ariza by Stocking, Charles Francis