tomatillo
noun
to·ma·til·lo
ˌtō-mə-ˈtē-(ˌ)yō 
-ˈtēl-(ˌ)yō
-ˈtēl-(ˌ)yō
plural tomatillos
: the small round yellow, purplish, and especially pale green edible sticky fruit of a Mexican ground-cherry (Physalis philadelphica synonym P. ixocarpa)
also
: the plant that bears tomatillos
Examples of tomatillo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The tang of the sauce was eye-widening and immediate, crackling with the bright, citrusy charge of tomatillos and serrano chiles.
—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Avocado, tomatillos, a serrano pepper, and lime are mixed together in just five minutes to make a bright and acidic dip that's served best with your favorite tortilla chips.
—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
1 July 2026
In the produce section, large bins held tomatillos, poblano peppers, Indian eggplants, dragon fruit, kumquats, coconuts, fava beans and giant king oyster mushrooms.
—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
Distinctive for their citrusy flavor and papery husks, tomatillos are best started indoors four to six weeks before your last frost.
—
Teresa Woodard,
Midwest Living,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tomatillo
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.
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
2 July 2026
Avocado, tomatillos, a serrano pepper, and lime are mixed together in just five minutes to make a bright and acidic dip that's served best with your favorite tortilla chips.
—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
1 July 2026
In the produce section, large bins held tomatillos, poblano peppers, Indian eggplants, dragon fruit, kumquats, coconuts, fava beans and giant king oyster mushrooms.
—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
Distinctive for their citrusy flavor and papery husks, tomatillos are best started indoors four to six weeks before your last frost.
—
Teresa Woodard,
Midwest Living,
15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tomatillo
Cite this Entry
“Tomatillo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tomatillo. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
