Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

flambé

American  
[flahm-bay, flahn-bay] / flɑmˈbeɪ, flɑ̃ˈbeɪ /

adjective

  1. Also flambéed (of food) served in flaming liquor, especially brandy.

    steak flambé.

  2. Ceramics.

    1. (of a glaze) dense and streaked with contrasting colors, usually red and blue.

    2. (of a ceramic object) covered with a flambé glaze.


verb (used with object)

flambéed, flambéing
  1. to pour liquor over and ignite.

flambé British  
/ ˈflɑːmbeɪ, flɑ̃be, ˈflæm- /

adjective

  1. (of food, such as steak or pancakes) served in flaming brandy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to pour brandy over (food) and ignite it

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of flambé

1885–90; < French, past participle of flamber to flame. See flambeau


Vocabulary lists containing flambe

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.

See Examples For:

Are you ready to flambé some Grand Marnier?

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2024

I directed Max to extinguish the flames, but only after preparing an impromptu banana flambé.

From Nature ● Mar. 20, 2018

Eli Manning, who decided to wear a glove on his non-throwing hand this season in an attempt to limit his turnovers, will face his traditional September flambé.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 11, 2017

Otherwise, it’s watermelon flambé at the Kardashian inauguration, and yes, we’re the watermelon.

From New York Times ● Apr. 17, 2016

Barb smiles at him as he starts rambling on about pears flambé with some kind of reduction.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott

The cream sauce is steeped with flavor from the flambéed Grand Marnier, as well as fresh orange segments and zest, shallots and tomatoes.

From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2024

Patrons can order shrimp served with a creamy sauce made with vanilla extract, a chayote squash soup with vanilla seeds, a vanilla liqueur drink called Papenteco Kiss and plantains flambéed with vanilla ice cream.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2024

Fish-wise, the filet of smoked mackerel is flambéed in ouzo and served with tomato, onions and capers.

From New York Times ● Aug. 23, 2018

It’s not the same as queso fundido, the Mexican dish of flambéed, melted cheese eaten in soft tortillas.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 27, 2017

A trolley selling sandwiches stood where once the onboard chef in pristine whites could be found creating mouth-watering dishes like flambéed Bourbon shrimp or zesty brochette of Dijon lamb.

From BBC ● Jan. 9, 2015

I’d only ever had it at restaurants, where the descriptions sounded intimidating, calling for veal demi-glace and flambéing tableside.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 25, 2022

These soiree-centered episodes produce some of the show's most incisive comedy; "Juneteenth" set that bar in the first season by flambéing the Black bourgeoisie's absurd class snobbery and assimilationist aspirations.

From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2022

Tonight Ms. Arango was in a black suit, shaving truffles over hamburgers, flambéing whole ducks, carving lamb.

From New York Times ● Jan. 9, 2018

Now, here’s the really wild part: all that searing, scorching, en flambéing hot blast madness doesn’t gradually fade out: it ends abruptly.

From Scientific American ● May 23, 2013

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Just like flashcards, but way more fun

Don't take our word for it. Leave the boring studying behind and join VocabTrainer today. You'll learn even faster and never look back.

Take me to Vocabulary.com