bêche-de-mer
Americannoun
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another name for trepang
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See Beach-la-Mar
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bêche-de-mer
1805–15; erroneously for French biche de mer < Portuguese bicho do mar literally, animal of the sea; cf. Beach-la-Mar
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.
Richard Hatteras, at your service, commonly called Dick, of Thursday Island, North Queensland, pearler, copra merchant, bêche-de-mer and tortoiseshell dealer, and South Sea trader generally.
From A Bid for Fortune or Dr. Nikola's Vendetta by Boothby, Guy
What he did say was in bêche-de-mer, and his words were: “Any fella Mary he like ’m fight, all fella Mary along Somo fight ’m this fella way.”
From Jerry of the Islands by London, Jack
Bêche-de-mer fisheries are a feature of the coast, the bêche-de-mer being a huge sea-slug, thought to be a great delicacy.
From Queensland Cousins by Haverfield, Eleanor Luisa
Next, the captain turned to his many passengers and orated in bêche-de-mer English.
From Jerry of the Islands by London, Jack
In the distance there was the sail of an outgoing vessel—one of the bêche-de-mer boats off on a several months' trip.
From Queensland Cousins by Haverfield, Eleanor Luisa
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.
