Meanings
masa1
- uncountableartA strong form of paper, smooth on one side and lightly textured on the other, used for drawing and painting.
Synonyms: masa paper
masa2
plural masas
- USuncountableusuallyMaize dough made from freshly prepared hominy, used for making tortillas, tamales, etc.
The chef Fermín Núñez of Suerte, in Austin, Texas, considers masa “the canvas of what Mexican cooking is all about.” “Without masa,” he said, “there’s no tortillas, and, without tortillas, there’s no tacos!”
2023 July 7, Rick A. Martínez, quoting Fermín Núñez, “For the Best Tortillas (and Gorditas and Tetelas), You Need Fresh Masa”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
Masa3
- alternativepluralplural onlyAlternative form of Massa (“Chadic ethnic group”).
- alternativeAlternative form of Massa (“Chadic language”).
Masa4
MASA5
- abbreviationuncountableShort for MASA syndrome.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA strong form of paper, smooth on one side and lightly textured on the other, used for drawing and painting.
Origin
masa · noun
- Japanese柾
- Englishmasa
Borrowed from Japanese 柾 (masa) or 政 (masa), an abbreviation of 柾紙 (masagami) or 政紙 (masagami).
More words from Japanese
Full word history & related roots →masa · noun
- Spanishmasa“dough”
- Englishmasa
From Spanish masa (“dough”). Doublet of mass.
More words from Spanish
Full word history & related roots →Masa · proper noun
- Japaneseまさ
- EnglishMasa
From Japanese まさ (Masa).
More words from Japanese
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
masa. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/masa
“masa.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/masa. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “masa,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/masa.
Source: masa on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.