tostada
Meaning
a flat or bowl-shaped tortilla that is deep-fried or toasted until crisp.
a dish consisting of such a crisp tortilla topped with various ingredients like beans, cheese, meat, and lettuce.
Structure
Usage
for lunch, i ordered a chicken tinga tostada topped with avocado crema.
the base of a good tostada must be perfectly crisp to hold all the toppings.
she prepared a simple appetizer of tostadas with refried beans and crumbled cheese.
Etymology
the word 'tostada' is a direct loan from spanish, where it functions as the feminine past participle of the verb 'tostar', meaning 'toasted'. it originates from the latin participle 'tostus', which derives from the verb 'torrēre', meaning 'to parch, scorch, or roast'. this etymological path highlights the core culinary process of drying or browning by heat. in modern english, it specifically denotes a mexican dish centered on a crisped tortilla, directly linking the ancient action of roasting to the food's defining prepared state.
Analysis
tost: from spanish, past participle of 'tostar' (to toast), ultimately from latin 'tostus' (parched, roasted). ada: a spanish suffix forming the feminine past participle, from latin '-ata'.