caviar

American  

[kav-ee-ahr, kav-ee-ahr] / ˈkæv iˌɑr, ˌkæv iˈɑr /

Or caviare

noun

1. the roe of sturgeon, especially the beluga, or other fish, usually served as an hors d'oeuvre or appetizer.

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CAVIAR ¹ British  

/ ˈkævɪˌɑː /

acronym

1. Cinema and Video Industry Audience Research

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caviar ² British  

/ ˌkævɪˈɑː, ˈkævɪˌɑː /

noun

1. the salted roe of sturgeon, esp the beluga, usually served as an hors d'oeuvre

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Etymology

Origin of caviar

First recorded in 1585–95; apparently back formation from caviarie, perhaps from obsolete Italian caviari, plural of caviaro (modern Italian caviale ), of disputed origin; apparently from Turkish havyar, from Persian

Explanation

Caviar is food that's considered a delicacy, although it's really just fish eggs. You might find caviar on the menu at a fancy restaurant. Typically, caviar comes from large fish like sturgeon or salmon, whose eggs are cleaned and lightly salted. Caviar looks like tiny bubbles, ranging in color from black to gray to red, depending on the type of fish. It tastes mildly fishy and salty. The word caviar is French, from a Persian root, khaviyar, from khaya, "egg."

Example Sentences

The starter was inspired by his mother and consisted of a langoustine and green apple tartare, with a kefir and caviar sauce and tomato powder.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

About 30 pounds of caviar was served throughout the night.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

Hundreds of pounds of caviar, black truffle, sushi and tomahawk steak have been shipped to Hollywood for the traditional lavish Oscars after-party this Sunday.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

Its bananas-and-caviar service is a case in point: fried bananas layered with horseradish cream and topped with two ounces of ossetra caviar, served alongside plantain waffles and a fermented banana-peel butter.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026

The children didn’t like the lobster and the cold oysters had no taste and the caviar seemed too salty.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith