bouillon

American  

[bool-yon, -yuhn, boo-yawn] / ˈbʊl jɒn, -jən, buˈjɔ̃ /

noun

• bouillons
  plural

1. a clear, usually seasoned broth made by straining water in which beef, chicken, etc., has been cooked, or by dissolving a commercially prepared bouillon cube or cubes in hot water.

---

bouillon British  

/ ˈbuːjɒn /

noun

1. a plain unclarified broth or stock

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bouillons
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bouillon

1650–60; < French, equivalent to bouill ( ir ) to boil ¹ + -on noun suffix

Explanation

Bouillon is a clear broth made by simmering meat, fish, or vegetables in water with herbs. A nice cup of bouillon will make you feel better if you have a cold or a stomachache. Bouillon comes from a 17th-century French word that means "liquid in which something has been boiled." It is a common base for soups and stocks. Real cooks may turn up their noses, but if you don't have time to make your own, you can always use bouillon cubes when making soups and sauces. Don't confuse this word with bullion, a term for gold or silver in the form of bars or ingots.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bouillon bouillons

Onion follows, then one can of the fire-roasted tomatoes alongside garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, black pepper and beef bouillon.

From Salon ● May 19, 2026

At Unilever, brands such as Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Knorr bouillon have long been paired with personal-care icons like Dove and Axe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026

Secret ingredient number two: a small drizzle of beef bouillon paste.

From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2026

"First we look at the ingredients -- the bouillon, the vegetables," said Flang Cupido, 63, a cookery teacher taking part as a judge for the fourth time this year.

From Barron's ● Feb. 19, 2026

The line started to disperse, except a couple of people who actually wanted the bouillon and bread special.

From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson

Unilever’s is close to $140 billion and its food business, which also houses brands including Knorr bouillons and seasoning, could be worth tens of billions of dollars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

The word shares a root with restaurant, a term that goes back to pre-revolutionary France, when aristocrats made a show of their delicate constitutions by sipping health-giving bouillons in public dining rooms.

From New York Times ● Dec. 27, 2016

One of the most succulent of these bouillons was called restaurant divin.

From Paris from the Earliest Period to the Present Day; Volume 1 by Walton, William

The Germans have a greater variety of soups, including chowders, broths and bouillons, than any other nation of Europe.

From Suppers Novel Suggestions for Social Occasions by Pierce, Paul

The next day, Henri took four bouillons in bed instead of two, and then sent for MM. de Villeguie and D'O to come to his room, to speak about a new financial edict.

From The Forty-Five Guardsmen by Dumas père, Alexandre

Related Words

• chowder
• porridge
• puree