tortilla: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral, culinary
Quick answer
What does “tortilla” mean?
A thin, round, unleavened flatbread made from corn or wheat flour, originating from Mexican cuisine.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A thin, round, unleavened flatbread made from corn or wheat flour, originating from Mexican cuisine.
May refer to similar flatbreads in other cuisines (e.g., Spanish omelette in Spain) or any dish based on or wrapped in such flatbread (e.g., tortilla wrap).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'tortilla' most commonly refers to a Spanish omelette made with eggs and potatoes. In American English, it almost exclusively refers to the Mexican flatbread made from corn or wheat flour.
Connotations
UK: Associated with Spanish/Tapas cuisine. US: Associated with Mexican/Tex-Mex cuisine.
Frequency
The flatbread meaning is dominant and high-frequency in American English. The omelette meaning is the primary sense in British English but is less common overall than flatbread usage globally.
Grammar
How to Use “tortilla” in a Sentence
[make/bake/fry] a tortilla[eat/have] a tortilla[fill/roll] the tortilla[serve] with tortillasVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; may appear in culinary industry contexts (e.g., 'tortilla production').
Academic
Appears in culinary, cultural, or anthropological studies.
Everyday
Common in food and recipe contexts, restaurants, supermarkets.
Technical
Used in food science regarding grain processing or cooking techniques.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tortilla”
- Pronouncing it 'tor-till-uh' (with a hard 'll').
- Using it to mean a small cake or pie.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there is a significant difference. In the US, it primarily means a Mexican flatbread. In the UK, it most commonly refers to a Spanish omelette.
A Mexican tortilla is typically made from corn flour (masa harina) or wheat flour, water, and sometimes salt. A Spanish tortilla is made from eggs and potatoes.
In American English, it is commonly /tɔːrˈtiːə/ (tor-TEE-uh). In British English, for the Spanish omelette, it is often /tɔːˈtiː(j)ə/ (taw-TEE-yuh), approximating the Spanish 'll' sound.
A tortilla is a specific type of thin, unleavened flatbread of Mexican origin. A 'wrap' is a broader term for any soft flatbread used to enclose fillings, which often uses a tortilla as its base.
A thin, round, unleavened flatbread made from corn or wheat flour, originating from Mexican cuisine.
Tortilla is usually neutral, culinary in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “tortilla chip”
- “tortilla wrap”
- “like a cold tortilla (uninspiring)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a TORTOISE with a LILLA flower on its shell, eating a flat, round tortilla.
Conceptual Metaphor
A tortilla is a BLANK CANVAS for food (holds other ingredients).
Practice
Quiz
In British English, what is the most common meaning of 'tortilla'?