cotta

American

[kot-uh, kaw-tuh] / ˈkɒt ə, ˈkɔ tə /

noun

Ecclesiastical.

a surplice.
a short surplice, sleeveless or with short sleeves, worn especially by choristers.

cotta British

/ ˈkɒtə /

noun

RC Church a short form of surplice

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cotta

1840–50; < Medieval Latin, variant of cota kind of tunic. See coat

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The panna cotta, discontinued after the pandemic, was my favorite.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Otherwise, the cinematography is fantastic with dramatic lighting and playful flourishes: slow-motion sparklers on a birthday cake, aerial shots of panna cotta, an introductory credits sequence in which wine and whiskey glasses explode in mid-air.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2025

We did an amazing Jalebi churro on top of a rabri Panna cotta at Baar Baar.

From Salon • Nov. 9, 2024

They came in a small range of colors: sand, terra cotta, chestnut.

From Slate • Oct. 20, 2024

Standing by the lectern to turn the pages of the missal was Robin in scarlet cassock and white linen cotta.

From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023