moussaka

M3O1U1S1S1A1K5A1
/muːˈsɑːkə/

noun

A dish consisting of layers of minced lamb or beef, sliced aubergine (eggplant) or potatoes, tomatoes and béchamel sauce, baked in the oven.

OriginGreek μουσακάς ← Ottoman Turkish موصاقه ← Arabic مُسَقَّعَة →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounmoussaka (countable and uncountable, plural moussakas)

plural moussakas · alternative mousaka

  1. countableuncountableA dish consisting of layers of minced lamb or beef, sliced aubergine (eggplant) or potatoes, tomatoes and béchamel sauce, baked in the oven.

Origin

  1. Arabicمُصَقَّعَة
  2. Arabicمُسَقَّعَة
  3. Ottoman Turkishموصاقه
  4. Greekμουσακάς
  5. Englishmoussaka

Borrowed from Greek μουσακάς (mousakás), from Ottoman Turkish موصاقه (musakka), from Arabic مُسَقَّعَة (musaqqaʕa) or originally from Arabic مُصَقَّعَة (muṣaqqaʕa), from the trilateral root ص ق ع (ṣ q ʕ): “to hit, to pound, to smash”.

More words from Greek, Ottoman Turkish, Arabic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مُسَقَّعَة, مُصَقَّعَة
  • مُسَقَّعَة (musaqqaʕa)baked dish
  • مُصَقَّعَة (muṣaqqaʕa)baked dish
Bulgarian мусака́
  • мусака́ (musaká)baked dish
Dutch moussaka
  • moussakabaked dish
Finnish musaka
  • musakabaked dish
Greek μουσακάς
  • μουσακάς (mousakás)baked dish
Hebrew מוסקה
  • מוסקהbaked dish
Hindi मूसाका
  • मूसाका (mūsākā)baked dish
Japanese ムサカ
  • ムサカ (musaka)baked dish
Polish musaka
  • musakabaked dish
Portuguese moussaka, mussaca
  • moussakabaked dish
  • mussacabaked dish
Romanian musaca
  • musacabaked dish
Russian муса́ка
  • муса́ка (musáka)baked dish
Turkish musakka
  • musakkabaked dish

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with moussaka

OsakaDhakapatacabakashakacacakakamakahakamaracachachalaca
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

moussaka. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moussaka

MLA

“moussaka.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moussaka. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “moussaka,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moussaka.

Source: moussaka on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.