Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Religious austerity.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Variety of Spanish small food items or snacks originally served with sherry.
  • noun Small food items generally.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Sanskrit tapaḥ, tapas-, heat, austerity.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Spanish tapas, plural of tapa, with original sense of “top”.

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Examples

  • The word tapas comes from the Spanish verb "tapar" to cover and some say tapas came about by utility: to keep flies from falling into the fruity wine.

    French Word-A-Day: 2007

  • The word tapas comes from the Spanish verb "tapar" to cover and some say tapas came about by utility: to keep flies from falling into the fruity wine.

    debout - French Word-A-Day 2007

  • The word tapas is Spanish meaning snacks, but Stella Blu features American dishes inspired by a variety of big city neighborhoods famous for their food - from Little Italy to Chinatown.

    Nashuatelegraph.com local, state, business and sports news 2008

  • The word tapas comes from the Spanish verb "tapar" (to cover) and some say tapas came about by utility: to keep flies from falling into the fruity wine.

    French Word-A-Day: 2007

  • The word tapas comes from the Spanish verb "tapar" (to cover) and some say tapas came about by utility: to keep flies from falling into the fruity wine.

    debout - French Word-A-Day 2007

  • The word tapas comes from the Spanish verb "tapar" (to cover) and some say tapas came about by utility: to keep flies from falling into the fruity wine.

    French Word-A-Day: 2007

  • Gandarias is, first and foremost, a pintxo bar -- that's what they call tapas in Basque country -- with the best little appetizers you'll ever have: the freshest, most delicious local ingredients placed lovingly on a small slice of baguette, â ‚ ¬1.50 apiece. (â ‚ ¬2.25 for the cooked-to-order foie gras, which I highly recommend.)

    Felix Salmon - All posts 2008

  • So tapas is was, then a wee beer and a few phone calls later we ended up in Chaplins, a nice little laid-back place with some cool sounds on the stereo and some even cooler folks to chat with -- mainly comics guys, as I recall, one of them over from Germany.

    Famous in Finland, Fixture in France Hal Duncan 2009

  • So tapas is was, then a wee beer and a few phone calls later we ended up in Chaplins, a nice little laid-back place with some cool sounds on the stereo and some even cooler folks to chat with -- mainly comics guys, as I recall, one of them over from Germany.

    Archive 2009-11-01 Hal Duncan 2009

  • No, I don't like the word tapas because it's always used wrong.

    Archive 2006-01-01 2006

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