paella

American  

[pahy-ey-yuh] / paɪˈeɪ yə /

noun

1. a Spanish dish prepared by simmering together chicken, seafood, rice, vegetables, and saffron and other seasonings.

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paella British  

/ paɪˈɛlə, paˈeʎa /

noun

1. a Spanish dish made from rice, shellfish, chicken, and vegetables

2. the large flat frying pan in which a paella is cooked

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Etymology

Origin of paella

1890–95; < Spanish < Catalan: literally, frying pan, pot < Middle French paella < Latin patella pan. See patella.

Explanation

You're most likely to see paella on the menu at a Spanish restaurant. It's a stew-like dish that combines seafood or meat with rice and vegetables, usually cooked in a large, low-sided pan. This Spanish dish of saffroned rice, usually with seafood and chicken thrown in, is ultimately from a Latin word for "pan," patella , and thus joins a number of foods in which a required cooking utensil forms part of the name of the dish: "hotpot," "hoecake," and "spoon bread," to name a few.

Example Sentences

The ad giant ferried clients and potential clients by private speedboats to the secluded Saint-Honorat Island, where they enjoyed an al fresco paella and zucchini-flower lunch.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

On the day of his death, two dishes on the day's menu were listed as being suitable for a textured diet - beef stew and chicken paella.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

It wasn’t paella, and it wasn’t the surf-and-turf rice you’d find down the block but it carried the same heartbeat.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2025

A stack of blueberry pancakes, a wheel of Camembert cheese, sushi rolls, tacos, paella and a full English breakfast are all cozy socks you can wear around the house.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2023

I dip more bread into the oil and pick up my fork as if I plan to eat paella.

From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King