caviar
noun
the roe of sturgeon, especially the beluga, or other fish, usually served as an hors d'oeuvre or appetizer.
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caviar
American
[kav-ee-ahr, kav-ee-ahr]
/ ˈkæv iˌɑr, ˌkæv iˈɑr /
Or
caviare
noun
CAVIAR
1
British
/ ˈkævɪˌɑː /
acronym
caviar
2
British
/ ˌkævɪˈɑː, ˈkævɪˌɑː /
noun
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."
Vocabulary lists containing caviar
World Cuisine - Introductory
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World Cuisine - Middle School and High School
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Russia - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And do people still have caviar dreams if there’s discounting involved?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Building on recent trends that paired bougie caviar with chicken nuggets and hot dogs, these startups are bringing high-end roe to everyday shoppers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Some luxury caviar sellers say consumers should be cautious if the caviar is too cheap.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
DTC caviar brands, he said, have “called the bluff” of the industry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
A newly composed classical opera in the late-twentieth century was like Beluga caviar: a shockingly expensive commodity from an endangered species, accessible to a very privileged few but an inconceivable luxury to the rest.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
