noun

piñata

pin-YAH-tuh

Piñata (noun) means a hollow figure of papier-mâché or thin card, filled with sweets and small toys and hung up at a party so that blindfolded children can hit it with a stick until it bursts. Example: “The children queued up to take a swing at the donkey piñata.”

noun

A hollow figure of papier-mâché or thin card, filled with sweets and small toys and hung up at a party so that blindfolded children can hit it with a stick until it bursts.

"The children queued up to take a swing at the donkey piñata."

"We filled the piñata with chocolate coins and stickers."

figurative Something or someone repeatedly attacked from all sides, used figuratively.

"The minister became a political piñata in the weeks before the vote."

How to Use Piñata

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA hanging paper figure full of sweets that children hit open at parties.

When to use it

Everyday; the tilde is optional in English but standard in Spanish.

Easily confused with

piñata → pinata → pina colada

Common pairings

break the piñata piñata stick fill the piñata birthday piñata

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Fill the Gap

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The children queued up to take a swing at the donkey _____.

Etymology

From Spanish piñata, from Italian pignatta 'earthenware cooking pot', related to pigna 'pine cone', which the earliest clay versions resembled.

Origin: Spanish

Rhymes for piñata

ATA kata mata Tata Lata Data Ogata Plata strata sonata Renata Hinata

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where did the piñata come from?

The custom reached Mexico through Spain, where it was tied to Lenten and Christmas celebrations, and similar container-breaking games are recorded earlier in both Europe and Mesoamerica. It is now most strongly associated with Mexican birthday parties.

What is the difference between a pull-string and a hit piñata?

A hit piñata has to be struck until it breaks. A pull-string version has ribbons underneath, one of which releases a trapdoor, so nobody swings a stick — safer for very young children and indoor parties.

How do you spell piñata without the accent?

Writing it 'pinata' is widely accepted in English, though the tilde on the n reflects the Spanish pronunciation 'nya'.