masala

See also: Masala

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindustani مصالحہ (maṣālḥa, maṣāliḥa) / मसाला (masālā, “spice(s)”), from Classical Persian مصالح (masālih, “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 or masale)

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.

3. Any powder of ground ingredients, not necessarily used in cuisine.

Alternative forms

• mussalla (obsolete)

Derived terms

• garam masala
• masala chai
• masala film
• tikka masala

Anagrams

• Salaam, Salama, salaam

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Greek μασαλάς (masalás), from Ottoman Turkish مشعله (meşale), from Arabic مِشْعَل (mišʕal).

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

Spanish

Verb

masala

1. second-person singular voseo imperative of masar combined with la

Uzbek

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic مَسْأَلَة (masʔala).

Noun

masala (plural masalalar)

1. question, problem