Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word tamal. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word tamal, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say tamal in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word tamal you have here. The definition of the word tamal will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition oftamal, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
1911, Coffee and Tea Industries and the Flavor Field, volume 34, page 497:
I fully recognize the excellence of the tamal of the gringos. It is a superb standby for picknickers, prospectors, camping-outers, school children, and factory lunches.
Someone from Campeche may brag about a tamal made there with a salsa of guajillo chiles, axiote (a regional spice), jitomate...
2007, Robin S. Goldstein, Fearless Critic Houston Restaurant Guide: Brutally Honest Undercover Chefs and Food Writers Rate More Than 400 Places to Eat, page 314:
Ask for Salvadoran crema to accompany whichever you choose; it's thick and somewhat akin to sour cream, and you'll get that much more pleasure from your tamal.
For example, tamales have been around Knoxville for so long that they’re considered a local food, even though the tamal is an ancient Mayan idea.
Usage notes
The form tamal is preferred by some to tamale, as tamal is the Standard Spanish singular form while tamale is generally analyzed as a back-formation from the plural tamales, thus proscribed. Note however that tamale exists in Spanish dialect.
