masala

noun

ma·​sa·​la mä-ˈsä-lä How to pronounce masala (audio)
-lə
mə-
: a varying blend of spices used in Indian cooking

Examples of masala 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.
The grocer opened its doors to customers on June 17 and is the first H-E-B to offer Masala House, an H-E-B product line of in-house meal options like chicken masala, butter chicken, naan, chutney dips and other items. Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026 Each shrimp is carefully cleaned and then pan-seared with cumin, coriander and masala. Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026 This restaurant, like so many recent high-profile openings, is part of the genuinely thrilling wave of South Asian restaurants arguing for regional precision, pushing back against decades of commodity Indian cuisine, the culture- and geography-flattening tikka masalas and garlic naans. Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 31 May 2026 Paneer cheese, cooked chicken and potato masala were below proper hot holding temperatures. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado may 29, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for masala

Word History

Etymology

Hindi & Urdu masālā materials, ingredients, spices

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of masala was in 1780

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Masala.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masala. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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