piñata

(redirected from Pinatas)
Also found in: Thesaurus.

pi·ña·ta

(pĭn-yä′tə, pēn-)

1. A decorated container filled with candy and toys suspended from a height, intended to be broken by blindfolded children with sticks, and used as part of Christmas and birthday celebrations in certain Latin-American countries or at children's parties.

2. A frequent object or victim of ongoing criticism or abuse: "Partially hydrogenated oils [have become] a piñata for public health officials worldwide" (Michael Mason).

[Spanish, from Italian pignatta, a kind of pot, probably from dialectal pigna, pine cone (from its shape), from Latin pīnea; see pineal.]

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.

piñata

(ˌpɪnˈjata)

a papier-mâché party decoration filled with sweets, hung up during parties, and struck with a stick until it breaks open

[Spanish, from Italian pignatta, probably from dialect pigna, from Latin pinea pine cone]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pi•ña•ta

(pinˈyɑ tə, pɪnˈyɑ-)

n., pl. -tas.

(in Mexico and Central America) a decorated crock or papier-mâché figure filled with toys, candy, etc., and suspended from above, esp. at birthday parties and Christmas, so that blindfolded children may break it with sticks and release the contents.

[1885–90; < Sp: literally, pot < Italian pignatta]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun

pinata - plaything consisting of a container filled with toys and candy; suspended from a height for blindfolded children to break with sticks

plaything, toy - an artifact designed to be played with

Translations

piñata

References in periodicals archive ?

The 31-year-old had to lie on a pizza base and take a series of "toppings" including fish guts, rotten tomatoes, green ants, mealworms and cockroaches while smashing moving pinatas with the stars inside, using a rolling pin.

Mal's 'magic' time over

She has to lie on top of a pizza base and whack pinatas hanging above her with a rolling pin.

I'm A Celebrity: Fleur East eats ROTTEN tomatoes after weeks of starvation; I'm A Celebrity star Fleur is buried under a mountain of disgusting pizza toppings in tonight's Bushtucker Trial

'Giant spider pinatas covered in bison and camel fur, papier-mache ghouls smeared in interesting smells and a haunted house for the resident meerkats were among the surprises designed by a team of creative volunteers,' a spokesperson for the zoo said.

WATCH: Lions celebrate Halloween by playing with zoo decor

From fun toys such as castle pinatas and bubble wands to keep the kids entertained, to swish outdoor dining furniture for the grown-ups, you'll find affordable items both online and in-store that everyone can enjoy

Outdoor PARTY TIME; ADVERTISING FEATURE; Stylish ways to ensure your garden is party-ready this summer

|PS24.95, The Joke Shop, Duke Street, Cardiff GHOST AND PUMPKIN PINATAS Keep everyone entertained at your Halloween party with these paper pinatas.

let's get spooky

London, April 22( ANI ): Emma Watson's friends celebrated her 23rd birthday in New York by making 23 different pinatas representing each year of the star's life.

Emma Watson treated to surprise pinata-filled bday bash by pals

Workers at a Tijuana factory are allegedly paid just 10p an hour to assemble pinatas - cardboard figures full of sweets - which are then sold for PS12.99 each.

Slaves probe by Kate's parents

In the spot, the DQ spokesperson explains that at Dairy Queen "we don't just have pinatas; we have pinatas filled with Mary Lou Retton." He then proceeds to hit the pinata causing it to break open and Retton tumbles out.

Dairy Queen

CITE

Site: Follow: Share:

Open / Close