nixtamal

N1I1X8T1A1M3A1L1

noun

Hominy; maize kernels which have undergone nixtamalization, that is, hulling and soaking and cooking in an alkaline solution.

OriginMexican Spanish nixtamal ← Classical Nahuatl nextamalli →
Scrabble 17
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Meanings

nounnixtamal (usually uncountable, plural nixtamals)

plural nixtamals

  1. uncountableusuallyHominy; maize kernels which have undergone nixtamalization, that is, hulling and soaking and cooking in an alkaline solution.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
hominy

Origin

  1. Classical Nahuatlnextamalli“hominy”
  2. Mexican Spanishnixtamal
  3. Englishnixtamal

From Mexican Spanish nixtamal, from Classical Nahuatl nextamalli (“hominy”), from nextli (“ashes, lime”) + tamalli (“something wrapped”).

More words from Mexican Spanish, Classical Nahuatl

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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