éclair
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of éclair
1860–65; < French: literally, lightning (flash), Old French esclair, noun derivative of esclairier to light, flash < Vulgar Latin *exclariāre, for Latin exclārāre, equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + clārāre to make bright, derivative of clārus clear
Explanation
An eclair is a delicious French pastry that's filled with cream and topped with chocolate. You might think of an eclair as a fancy donut — although Parisians might disagree with you. The French éclair means "flash of lightning," and the scrumptious pastry got its name from the tendency people have to eat eclairs "in a flash." The 19th century Chambers Dictionary famously defined the eclair as "a cake, long in shape but short in duration." An eclair is like a stretched-out cream puff, choux dough baked and filled with creamy custard. Try one and see how long it lasts.
Vocabulary lists containing eclair
English Words Derived from French, List 11
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I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944
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Small as an Elephant
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I’m one heavenly bite into a mini éclair, and he shoots me a judgmental glare.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 11, 2022
Once you assemble the éclair cake you have to tuck it into the fridge overnight, and ideally for a whole day.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2022
In French the word for lightning is éclair.
From New York Times • Jun. 22, 2016
Imagine if the new James Bond movie could arrive inside a chocolate éclair.
From The New Yorker • Oct. 12, 2015
"The doctor was romantic at heart," explained Mrs. James, sighing, and pausing with an ice-cold chocolate éclair in her hand.
From The Heather-Moon by Williamson, A. M. (Alice Muriel)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
