masa

noun

ma·​sa ˈmä-sə How to pronounce masa (audio)
: a dough used in Mexican cuisine (as for tortillas and tamales) that is made from ground corn soaked in a lime and water solution
also : masa harina

Examples of masa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It’s wrapped in masa dyed with butterfly pea and served on sautéed ramps and mole verde. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026 Choose from three different types of corn, which is nixtamalized and stone-milled for masa on site at Komal. — Deputy Food Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2026 The watery consommé subsumed what few masa dumplings swam their lonesome swirls in the bowl, with cobs of corn left like derelict buoys in the sloppy orange miasma. — Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Apr. 2026 The masa tastes earthy and faintly sweet from the plantain and root vegetables, while the filling is savory and spiced with garlic, onion, pepper, and sometimes olives. — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for masa

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, mash, dough

First Known Use

circa 1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of masa was circa 1896

Phrases Containing masa

Rhymes for masa

See All Rhymes for masa

Browse Nearby Words

marzipan
masa
Masaccio
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Masa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masa. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

masa

noun
ma·​sa ˈmä-sə How to pronounce masa (audio)
: a dough used in Mexican cuisine (as for tortillas and tamales) that is made from ground corn soaked in a lime and water solution
also : masa harina

More from Merriam-Webster on masa

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about masa

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All