masala

See also: Masala

English

Etymology

Hindustani मसाला (masālā) / 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

• 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.

Usage notes

• The term is often used in the names of individual dishes.

Derived terms

• garam masala
• tikka masala

Anagrams

• Salaam, Salama, salaam

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Romanian

Etymology

From Greek μασαλάς (masalás), from Ottoman Turkish مشعله‎ (meş'ale), from Arabic مشعل‎.

Noun

masala f (plural masalale)

1. (dated) torch

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	—		—