masala

See also: Masala

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi मसाला (masālā) / Urdu مسالا‎ (masālā, “spice(s)”), from Persian مصالح‎ (masâlih, “affairs, materials, spices”), plural of مصلحت‎ (maslahat, “affair, policy, best thing to do”), both from Arabic, derived from صَلَحَ‎ (ṣalaḥa, “be fit, competent, usable”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /məˈsɑːlə/

• Audio (southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːlə

Noun

masala (countable and uncountable, plural masalas)

1. Any of many blends of spices used in Indian cuisine, most often containing cardamom, coriander, mace together with pepper, nutmeg, fennel seeds, jeera etc.
   • 2020, Avni Doshi, Burnt Sugar, Hamish Hamilton, page 3:

     When she cooked, she reached out for bottles and masalas without glancing up.

2. Any dish prepared with such spices.

   We ordered two lamb bhunas and a masala.

Derived terms

• garam masala
• masala chai
• tikka masala

Alternative forms

• mussalla (obsolete)

Anagrams

• Salaam, Salama, salaam

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Romanian

Etymology

From Greek μασαλάς (masalás), from Ottoman Turkish مشعله‎ (meşale), from Arabic مِشْعَل‎ (mišʿal).

Noun

masala f (plural masalale)

1. (dated) torch

   Synonyms: faclă, torță

Declension

Declension of masala

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(o) masala	masalaua	(niște) masalale	masalalele
genitive/dative	(unei) masalale	masalalei	(unor) masalale	masalalelor
vocative	masala		masalalelor