beccafico

American  

[bek-uh-fee-koh] / ˌbɛk əˈfi koʊ /

noun

1. a small songbird, especially the European garden warbler, Silvia hortensis, eaten as a delicacy in France and the Mediterranean region.

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beccafico British  

/ ˌbɛkəˈfiːkəʊ /

noun

1. any of various European songbirds, esp warblers of the genus Sylvia , eaten as a delicacy in Italy and other countries

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Etymology

Origin of beccafico

1620–25; < Italian: literally, figpecker < beccare “to peck” (< becco “beak” < Latin beccus ) + fico “fig” (< Latin ficus )

Example Sentences

Beccafico, bek-a-fē′ko, n. a small bird of the family of Sylviad� or Warblers, considered a delicacy by the Italians:—pl.

From Project Gutenberg

This was Monsieur Alcide Mirobolant, formerly Chef of his Highness the Duc de Borodino, of H. Eminence Cardinal Beccafico, and at present Chef of the bouche of Sir Francis Clavering, Baronet:—Monsieur Mirobolant's library, pictures, and piano, had arrived previously in charge of the intelligent young Englishman, his aid-de-camp.

From Project Gutenberg

I have considered the dormice served with honey and poppy-seed and the grape-fed beccafico dressed with garum piperatum, which, according to Petronius, were served at Trimalchio's banquet.

From Project Gutenberg

The doctor was a stickler for quality as well as quantity; the memory of his claret and beccafico days still clung to him, like the scent of the roses to Tom Moore's broken gallipot: he was curious in condiments, and whilst devouring, grumbled at the unseasoned viands of Tahiti.

From Project Gutenberg

The young birds themselves are said to be very delicate food, and not inferior in richness of flavour to the beccafico.

From Project Gutenberg