arepa

noun

are·​pa ə-ˈrā-pə How to pronounce arepa (audio)
: a usually grilled cornmeal cake served in Latin American cuisine

Examples of arepa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Her husband was arrested in October while selling arepas, and after his release weeks later, the couple decided to stop selling out of fear of immigration enforcement activities. Laura Turbay, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026 Ready to pound questions into arepas, glistening palms. Hazlitt, 9 Jan. 2026 Elsewhere on the sizzle-and-flip spectrum, there’s the highly adaptable Venezuelan arepa. The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Oct. 2025 Venezuelan restaurants selling empanadas and arepas opened in the same plaza as a Mexican supermarket that offers tacos and enchiladas. Gisela Salomon, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for arepa

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, probably from Cumaná (Cariban language of the Venezuela coast) erepa corn, cornmeal cake, or from a cognate Cariban form

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arepa was in 1810

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arepa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arepa. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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