samosa

American

noun

plural

samosas, samosa

an Indian fried turnover filled with minced meat or vegetables and spices.

potato samosas.

samosa British

/ səˈməʊsə /

noun

(in Indian cookery) a small triangular pastry case containing spiced vegetables or meat and served fried

"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 samosa

First recorded in 1930–35; from Hindi samosā, from Persian

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 theatre itself has also changed little, its vintage charm intact with counters serving steaming cups of tea and deep-fried samosa snacks.

From Barron's • Oct. 19, 2025

That said, in the spirit of celebrating Jewish food from around the world, he shared the Somali dish sambusa, a flaky deep-fried pastry something like a samosa, that can be filled with meat or vegetables.

From Salon • Dec. 20, 2022

“Now I can treat myself with a samosa and get some rest.”

From Slate • Aug. 5, 2022

Another specialty is the samosa - known locally as a "samboza" - small triangular pastries filled with beef or vegetables.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2022

She trades the samosa plate in my hands for the bouquets.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

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