any of various unleavened, usually whole wheat flatbreads common in South and Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.
(in the Caribbean) flatbread wrapped around a filling of usually curried meat, fish, shellfish, or vegetables.
First recorded in 1830–40; from Hindi, Urdu roṭī “bread,” from Prakrit roṭṭa “rice flour”
A roti is a South Asian flatbread made with whole wheat flour. The next time you order your favorite dishes from an Indian restaurant, get some roti too! In India, a roti is also known as a chapati. These tasty round breads are cooked on a flat grill or in a Tandoor oven, and they're often used to scoop up curries and vegetable dishes. Many other cuisines have a variation on the basic roti. In many Caribbean countries, the word can also refer to a popular sandwich made by wrapping a roti around a savory filling. Roti comes from the Sanskrit word roṭikā, or "bread."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dinner at Kabawa in New York’s East Village begins with “buss-up shut,” a flaky Trinidadian flatbread derived from Indian paratha roti.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
The men are getting regular food deliveries - daal, roti, vegetables and fresh fruit - through a small pipe, and officials say the group is in good health.
From BBC ● Nov. 26, 2023
Standing in line at Gloria's roti shop, I wasn't the only kid with Trini parents.
From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2023
His surviving livestock — six goats, one cow and a few chickens — stood on one side of the room, while his 10-year old sister, Bakhtawa, cooked roti bread over an open flame.
From New York Times ● Sep. 14, 2022
The roti was cold but I didn’t mind, as I was nearly dizzy from hunger.
From "Amal Unbound" by Aisha Saeed
At Chez Fifi on the Upper East Side, the poulet rôti, served by the half portion, is $78.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Chang: My poulet rôti potato chip consumption has surprised even me, Mary, though I’ve rationalized it away as best I can.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2023
“It’s called subtlety of taste,” says Mirren after Hassan sprinkles spices on to pigeon fermier rôti aux épices douces.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 8, 2014
Thildette Chalumeau told me: Pot au feu, veal cooked in a casserole in its own juice, rabbits stewed in wine, gigot rôti, pâtisserie—and many other things.
From The Halo by Justice, B. Martin
His meals are quite frugal, though good; a poulet rôti invariably making one dish.
From A Residence in France With an Excursion Up the Rhine, and a Second Visit to Switzerland by Cooper, James Fenimore
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.
