tapas
Americannoun
plural noun
Etymology
Origin of tapas
First recorded in 1930–35; from Sanskrit: “penance,” literally, “heat”; akin to Latin tepēre “to be lukewarm” ( see tepid ( def. ))
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.
There are plenty of great versions here, but Tapas 24 delivers the ideal.
From Salon • Sep. 14, 2025
Kanokkorn Lamlert and Patrick Moukarzel, owners of the the Thai Tapas restaurant, said they began feeling logistical strains last year as tourism rebounded after the pandemic.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 4, 2024
The latest is MariPili at Café Frieda inside the Frye Art Museum on First Hill, where rising star Grayson Corrales of MariPili Tapas Bar is expanding her brand with salads, sandwiches and some small plates.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 24, 2023
"You can sense the probability of a soft landing," said Tapas Strickland, head of market economics at National Australia Bank in Sydney.
From Reuters • Jul. 19, 2023
Tapas at the Cafe de Paris are apt to be potato salad, a few anchovies, olives, and possibly some cheese.
From I'm a Stranger Here Myself by Reynolds, Mack
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.