tapa
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
ta·pa 1
(tä′pə, tăp′ə)n.
1. The inner bark of the paper mulberry.
2. A paperlike cloth made in the South Pacific islands by pounding this bark or similar bark.
[Marquesan and Tahitian; akin to Hawaiian kapa.]
ta·pa 2
(tä′pä)n. pl. ta·pas (-päs, -päz)
Any of various small, savory Spanish dishes, often served as a snack or with other tapas as a meal.
[Spanish, lid, tapa (tapas perhaps being so called because they originally consisted of slices of bread with sausage and similar items placed like lids upon glasses of wine to stimulate thirst and keep out fruit flies), from Old Spanish, lid (of Germanic originakin to English tap) and perhaps also partly from early modern Spanish tapa, entrepôt for provisioning soldiers (Hispanicization, influenced by tapa, lid, of Middle French étape, entrepôt, from Old French estaple; see staple1).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
tapa
(ˈtɑːpə)n
1. (Plants) the inner bark of the paper mulberry
2. (Textiles) a paper-like cloth made from this in the Pacific islands
[C19: from Marquesan and Tahitian]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ta•pa1
(ˈtɑ pɑ)n.
Often, tapas. (esp. in Spain) a snack or appetizer, typically served with wine or beer.
[1950–55; < Sp: literally, cover, lid]
ta•pa2
(ˈtɑ pə, ˈtæp ə)n.
1. the bark of the paper mulberry.
2. Also called ta′pa cloth`. a cloth of the Pacific islands made by pounding this or similar barks flat and thin, used for garments and floor covering.
[1815–25; < Polynesian]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | ![]() bark - tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants |
2. | tapa - a paperlike cloth made in the South Pacific by pounding tapa bark |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.