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.

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bouillon British  

/ ˈbuːjɒn /

noun

1. a plain unclarified broth or stock

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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

“Freeze in ice cube trays or silicone cupcake trays, bag, and label. You will never buy bouillon again.”

From Salon ● May 30, 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

"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

If your pot feels thin or underpowered, it may be craving something savory — a spoonful of bouillon, a splash of soy sauce, a handful of mushrooms.

From Salon ● Feb. 8, 2026

I help Abuela into a new flannel nightgown while Mom prepares bouillon and instant tapioca pudding.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

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 William Walton

The whole of the front of the body is ornamented with rows of lace and silk-net bouillons.

From Harper's New Monthly Magazine Vol. IV, No. 19, Dec 1851 by Various

She emerged with a white face and a settled determination to partake no more of his ragouts, bouillons, etc.

From The Kidnapped President by Guy Newell Boothby

Related Words

• chowder
• porridge
• puree