paella

noun

pa·​el·​la pä-ˈā-yə How to pronounce paella (audio)
-ˈāl-yə,
-ˈe-lə,
-ˈā-lə How to pronounce paella (audio)
: a saffron-flavored dish containing rice, meat, seafood, and vegetables

Examples of paella in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Eat vegetarian or seafood paella while indulging in pinot noir, plus lawn games and live music. Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 21 May 2025 Paying €10 gets you a plate of paella and two drinks from the temporary bar, plus a wristband which says ‘united by the badge’. Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025 This particular paella was not fresh, tasting rather flavorless and bland. Matt Kepnes, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025 Quique Dacosta brings his legendary paella, the classic rice dish with saffron as a crucial ingredient, to Arros QD in London. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for paella

Word History

Etymology

Catalan, literally, pot, pan, from Middle French paelle, from Latin patella small pan — more at patella

First Known Use

circa 1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paella was circa 1892

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paella.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paella. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

paella

noun
pa·​el·​la pä-ˈel-ə How to pronounce paella (audio) -ˈāl-yə How to pronounce paella (audio)
-ˈā-yə
: a Spanish dish of rice, meat, seafood, vegetables, and spices

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