Tamale

¹

[tuh-mah-lee]

noun

1. a city in N Ghana.

tamale

²

[tuh-mah-lee]

noun

1. a Mexican dish made of minced and seasoned meat packed in cornmeal dough, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed.

tamale

/ təˈmɑːlɪ /

noun

1. a Mexican dish made of minced meat mixed with crushed maize and seasonings, wrapped in maize husks and steamed

Word History and Origins

Origin of Tamale¹

1605–15, construed as singular of Mexican Spanish tamales, plural of tamal < Nahuatl tamalli

Word History and Origins

Origin of Tamale¹

C19: erroneously for tamal, from Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl tamalli

Example Sentences

The show’s narrator and singer regales guests with tales of how different Latin countries present stories of Santa Claus, or, say, the joy of unwrapping a tamale.

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Professionals don’t bring squadrons to chase after tamale ladies or day laborers, or stage flashy raids of apartments and parks that accomplish little else than footage for propaganda videos.

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De Paz, who is undocumented, arrived from Guatemala 25 years ago and had for years worked as a street vendor, selling tamales, soup and roasted chicken to day laborers.

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One minute Maria was selling tamales from her food cart in Chicago's West Side.

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But in recent months, videos of immigration raids — especially in Los Angeles — have gone viral, capturing agents arresting tamale vendors, day laborers and car wash workers.

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