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Spanish paprika

Spanish paprika

3.7
A red powder from Spanish peppers used to add mild, sweet or smoky flavor to food
  • noun
  • /ˈspænɪʃ pəˈpriːkə/
translation icon : pimentón
  • Ever tried smoked Spanish paprika powder?
  • smoked Spanish paprika

Examples

  • I added a teaspoon of Spanish paprika to the stew for extra flavor.

  • I'll send you some smoked Spanish paprika in a plastic bag in an envelope, but I fear the customs dog will start sneezing, and it will get sent to some lab somewhere, and the FBI will visit you just to be certain you are not doing something against all the 100 million laws we have.

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  • The dish was enhanced with a sprinkle of Spanish paprika for a smoky taste.

  • For a delicious twist, try using Spanish paprika in your homemade sauces.

Synonyms

paprika
vsSpanish paprika
20 2.5

A mild red powder from dried peppers used to add color and gentle flavor to food

is from a specific region and offers sweet or smoky taste

How Spicy

Spanish paprika
3.7
paprika
20 2.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

Spanish + paprika

The meaning is compositionally transparent: 'Spanish' denotes origin and 'paprika' denotes the powdered spice, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to paprika from Spain or made from Spanish peppers. This adjective+noun origin pattern is common cross-linguistically and does not require idiomatic knowledge.

Etymology

Spanish paprika comes from Spain, where red pimiento peppers were dried, often over wood smoke, and ground into a bright red powder called 'pimentón'. That's why Spanish paprika means a mild, often smoky spice used to add color and flavor.