tomatillo

noun

to·​ma·​til·​lo ˌtō-mə-ˈtē-(ˌ)yō How to pronounce tomatillo (audio) -ˈtēl-(ˌ)yō How to pronounce tomatillo (audio)
plural tomatillos
: the small round yellow, purplish, and especially pale green edible sticky fruit of a Mexican ground-cherry (Physalis ixocarpa synonym P. philadelphica)
also : the plant that bears tomatillos

Examples of tomatillo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Tomatillo Tortilla Soup For a dish that is lighter than Mexican soups like menudo or pozole, but with the same healing proprieties try Sally Schmitt’s famous tomatillo tortilla soup. Sarah Mosqueda, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 The tomatillo sauce has a little spice to it, but not too spicy. Lisa Lopez, Kansas City Star, 19 Jan. 2024 Each was the size of a street-style taco with double corn tortillas that tasted like homemade masa and come with a choice of four salsas ranging from habanero to mild tomatillo. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2024 These include a spicy queso sandwich, a creamy avocado tomatillo sandwich, pretzel bites and caramel fudge brownies. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 7 Dec. 2023 Each bite sparkles with cilantro, tomatillo, and lime. Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2023 In this recipe, boneless pork pieces replace the usual ground beef and tomatillos are used instead of tomatoes to create a Mexican flavor. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2023 In between courses of beet salad and tomatillo beef, presenters took turns going on stage to welcome the crowd. Mario Abad, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2023 The secret is in my friend Rick Bayless’s tomatillo salsa that is marketed as Frontera Original Guacamole Mix. Elizabeth Karmel, Forbes, 26 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tomatillo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, diminutive of tomate

First Known Use

circa 1913, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tomatillo was circa 1913

Dictionary Entries Near tomatillo

Cite this Entry

“Tomatillo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tomatillo. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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