chowder
Americannoun
-
chowders
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of chowder
1735–45, < French chaudière pot, kettle < Late Latin caldāria cauldron
Explanation
Chowder is a thick, chunky soup that often contains fish or shellfish. New England is well known for its creamy, rich version of clam chowder. Chowder is somewhere between a soup and a stew — it's full of chunks of potato and onions, thick with bacon, fish, or vegetables, and sometimes eaten with crackers on the side or crumbled on top. Chowder is one of many words that distinctly originated in America, and it was included in the first edition of Noah Webster's dictionary of American English. Chowder comes from the pot in which it's cooked, chaudière, French for "a pot."
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.
See Examples For:
One of them had worked in the restaurant for more than a decade, and was the second person ever to make Kuchinsky’s conch chowder and fritter batter for customers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
"This is why we eat clam chowder and we don't eat brachiopod chowder," Sperling said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
It’s one of those recipes I’ve been trying to perfect for many, many months simply because a good corn chowder is craveable: creamy, spicy and just indulgent enough to feel like care.
From Salon ● Apr. 16, 2026
Matijevich recommends enjoying bowls of clam chowder with your favorite crusty bread, like focaccia or toasted slices of baguette.
From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2026
The chowder had blown both ways and he still felt weak and crampy.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Champagne, Cava or Crémant are all excellent choices, their bright acidity making them particularly agreeable partners for creamy chowders and hearty stews.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
A taste of New England in West Hollywood, it quickly became known for fried clams and chowders harkening to Cimarusti’s Rhode Island childhood and plump lobster rolls filled with never-frozen lobster.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
Restaurants and home cooks are filling hollowed-out, crusty round vessels with hot stews and chowders.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 15, 2023
The 4-acre facility, which can produce up to 25 tons of chowders, soups and gravies a day, seven days a week, has seen a recent leveling-off in shipping costs for some ingredients.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 9, 2022
It will be only a shanty, where the fellows can have a good time, and get up chowders.
From The Yacht Club or The Young Boat-Builder by Oliver Optic
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