jambalaya
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of jambalaya
1740–50; < Louisiana French < Provençal jambalaia, of uncertain origin
Explanation
Jambalaya is a Cajun dish with rice and a variety of ingredients. It has a little of everything, and it's very spicy. If you ever go to a Cajun restaurant or New Orleans, one dish to try is jambalaya. It consists of rice plus peppers, celery, and onions. There's also meat, which might be chicken or sausage. Sometimes jambalaya has fish in it too, such as shrimp. Like a lot of Cajun food, jambalaya is very spicy.
Vocabulary lists containing jambalaya
World Cuisine - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
World Cuisine - Middle School and High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Mardi Gras: Food
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
He has described the record as a "powder keg", as "burning diesel", and even a spicy "jambalaya" – and it's certainly harder and faster than anything the band have released over the past decade.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
They held regular dinner parties for friends, colleagues and students, and Morgan was renowned for her cooking, with a repertoire that included jambalaya, French beef stew, fried chicken and shrimp étouffée.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025
As he puts it, “There are recipes that come home to me because of my own Gullah Geechee experience”—specifically chicken pilau, chicken perloo and jambalaya.
From Salon • Feb. 22, 2025
Harris swept through the work area, past tall shelves piled high with plates and pans, stopping where Kam Winslow was stirring a giant bowl of jambalaya.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2024
And Bill sold plates of his spicy, delicious Creole dishes—gumbo, jambalaya.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
