Tapas

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈtæpæs/

Definitions

1. A selection of bite-sized dishes commonly found in Spanish cuisine that encourages sharing among those dining together
2. A cultural concept involving small servings of food meant for communal eating, celebrating flavors and variety
3. Small portions of food typical in Spanish meals meant to be shared among people ; a practice of enjoying a variety of these dishes together in a communal setting

Etymology: The most surprising part of this word is that its origin is a bar lid, not a menu. In Spanish, "tapa" means a cover or lid, and the story goes that small plates of snacks were set on top of glasses of wine or sherry to keep flies out. Over time the snacks on those lids became the thing itself, and "tapas" is simply the plural of "tapa," the single small dish. The Spanish "tapa" traces back to a Gothic word, reconstructed as "tappa," meaning a plug or stopper. That same Germanic root gave English "tap," so the two words are doublets, separate descendants of a single ancestor. The Gothic and Germanic roots are themselves linked to an older Indo-European base meaning "to lose" or "to sacrifice."

Synonyms: snacks, appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, small plates, meze