bouillabaisse

[bool-yuh-beys, bool-yuh-beys, boo-ya-bes]

noun

1. a soup or stew containing several kinds of fish and often shellfish, usually combined with olive oil, tomatoes, and saffron.

bouillabaisse

/ ˌbuːjəˈbɛs /

noun

1. a rich stew or soup of fish and vegetables flavoured with spices, esp saffron

Word History and Origins

Origin of bouillabaisse¹

1850–55; < French < Provençal boui-abaisso, taken as either “boil it, then lower the heat,” or “when it boils, lower the heat”; boui 2nd-person singular imperative or 3rd-person singular present of bouie to boil ¹; abaisso 2nd-person singular imperative of abaissa to lower; abase

Word History and Origins

Origin of bouillabaisse¹

C19: from French, from Provençal bouiabaisso , literally: boil down

Example Sentences

A sort of status symbol among diners who want to prove they can not only pronounce bouillabaisse, but also know what’ s in it.

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As the multigenerational strands connect, Diaz’s spry narrative voice remains a constant, a propulsive mix of English, Spanish and Spanglish, an urban bouillabaisse of flavor and purpose.

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It's their version of bouillabaisse, but a bit different.

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Presented as a coral-reef explosion of color and aquatic wildlife that almost approaches the original’s surreal, kaleidoscopic grandeur, it’s a bouillabaisse that Busby Berkeley would be proud of.

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Born from the marriage of West African stew and French bouillabaisse, Gumbo has not only been around for hundreds of years, but its countless variations shine a light on every family's heritage.

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