jambalaya
noun
jam·ba·laya
ˌjəm-bə-ˈlī-ə 
1
: rice cooked usually with ham, sausage, chicken, shrimp, or oysters and seasoned with herbs
2
: a mixture of diverse elements
curious jambalayas of competing elements—
Neil Hickey
Neil HickeySynonyms
- agglomerate
- agglomeration
- alphabet soup
- assortment
- botch
- clutter
- collage
- crazy quilt
- farrago
- gallimaufry
- grab bag
- gumbo
- hash
- hodgepodge
- hotchpotch
- jumble
- jungle
- litter
- macédoine
- medley
- mélange
- menagerie
- miscellanea
- miscellany
- mishmash
- mixed bag
- montage
- motley
- muddle
- olio
- olla podrida
- omnium-gatherum
- pastiche
- patchwork
- patchwork quilt
- potpourri
- ragbag
- ragout
- rummage
- salad
- salmagundi
- scramble
- shuffle
- smorgasbord
- stew
- tumble
- variety
- welter
Examples of jambalaya in a Sentence
its jambalaya of widely diverse nationalities and races gives the urban neighborhood a rich vitality
Recent Examples on the Web
Visitors had a taste of the famous New Orleans cuisine with staples like red beans and rice, barbecue shrimp and grits, and jambalaya with specialty drinks, including Glenmorangie scotch.
—Michaela Bechler, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2025
Settle in at the 200-seat patio for orders of shrimp and grits and jambalaya, and save room for dessert—on Wednesdays, their Sip and Slice promo ($17) features a glass of Champagne or Aperol Spritz with a slice of Smith’s famous Hummingbird Cake.
—Nicole Schnitzler, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 July 2024
The seasonal, seven-course menu often features a Louisiana rice offering that emphasizes the similarities between New Orleans jambalaya and the Senegalese version of jollof rice.
—Rosalind Cummings-Yeates, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2024
The jambalaya is a standout, loaded with chicken and sausage.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for jambalaya 
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Michaela Bechler, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2025
Settle in at the 200-seat patio for orders of shrimp and grits and jambalaya, and save room for dessert—on Wednesdays, their Sip and Slice promo ($17) features a glass of Champagne or Aperol Spritz with a slice of Smith’s famous Hummingbird Cake.
—Nicole Schnitzler, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 July 2024
The seasonal, seven-course menu often features a Louisiana rice offering that emphasizes the similarities between New Orleans jambalaya and the Senegalese version of jollof rice.
—Rosalind Cummings-Yeates, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2024
The jambalaya is a standout, loaded with chicken and sausage.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for jambalaya
Articles Related to jambalaya
Dictionary Entries Near jambalaya
Cite this Entry
“Jambalaya.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jambalaya. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
jambalaya
noun
jam·ba·laya
ˌjəm-bə-ˈlī-ə
: rice cooked with ham, sausage, chicken, shrimps, or oysters and seasoned with herbs
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