enchilada

American  

[en-chuh-lah-duh, -lad-uh] / ˌɛn tʃəˈlɑ də, -ˈlæd ə /

noun

Mexican Cooking.

1. a tortilla rolled and filled with a seasoned mixture, usually containing meat, and covered with a sauce flavored with chiles.

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idioms

1. whole enchilada,  the entirety of something, especially something impressive or outstanding.

   She has a job with money, prestige, and satisfaction—the whole enchilada.

2. big / top enchilada,  big enchilada.

enchilada British  

/ ˌɛntʃɪˈlɑːdə /

noun

1. a Mexican dish consisting of a tortilla fried in hot fat, filled with meat, and served with a chilli sauce

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enchilada More Idioms  

1. see big cheese (enchilada); whole ball of wax (enchilada).

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Etymology

Origin of enchilada

First recorded in 1885–90; from Central American Spanish, feminine of Spanish enchilado “spiced with chile” (past participle of enchilar ), equivalent to en- causative prefix + chil(e) “chile pepper” + -ado adjective suffix; en- ¹, chili, -ate ¹

Compare meaning

How does enchilada compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• enchilada vs. burrito

Example Sentences

The enchiladas have a sweet and spicy combo of sauces on top that are so good.

From Los Angeles Times

“If we don’t have a politics of solutions and making people’s lives better, I just don’t know where we end up,” he said, as his enchiladas sat cooling before him.

From Los Angeles Times

But if I’m going to stack a dozen enchiladas in the freezer, why not make them cute?

From Salon

The family had planned to go on a rare outing for a dinner of enchiladas de mole.

From Los Angeles Times

There are tales of Angelenos who traveled to Spain and were astonished to find that Spanish food was not, in fact, tamales and enchiladas.

From Los Angeles Times