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escargot

American  
[es-kar-goh, es-kahr-goh] / ɛs karˈgoʊ, ˌɛs kɑrˈgoʊ /

noun

French.
  • escargots
    plural
  1. an edible snail.


escargot British  
/ ɛskarɡo /

noun

  1. a variety of edible snail, usually eaten with a sauce made of melted butter and garlic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Explanation

Escargot is what you call a snail when you're planning on eating it. Traditional French restaurants often include escargot on the menu. The idea of eating snails might make you feel a little queasy, but the dish would probably surprise you: escargot is typically cooked in a rich, garlicky butter sauce, and it's delicious. The snails used for escargot are particularly large, and the dish is generally served as an appetizer. Escargot is the French word for "snail," from the Latin conchylium, "edible shellfish."

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Vocabulary lists containing escargot

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:

The diplomats from Big Ranch have spent the past few weeks traveling around the continent, slathering it on escargot, quiches, croque monsieurs, kebabs, fish and chips, pierogies and raclette—or ranchclette.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Kumar admitted that he was ashamed of it as a boy as it "felt like food born of poverty - until I saw the pride with which the French serve escargot".

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025

It might have you reconsidering that dish of escargot you were about to order.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2025

He taught me how to cook escargot, orange roughy with almonds with lemon butter sauce with white wine.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 17, 2023

People watch with mild interest through the glass wall of the Stratosphere crown—well-dressed people eating escargot and drinking radiation as their restaurant slowly revolves—and I realize I’m part of the evening’s entertainment.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

Any closer and Pogacar’s elbow might knock your wine into your escargots.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

I had escargots - I love escargots - but everyone else in my group had them.

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2023

It also might help out if your companion orders escargots, heavy on the garlic.

From Seattle Times ● May 28, 2020

Expect French onion soup, escargots, steak frites, Dover sole meunière finished tableside, a pork porterhouse, tuna tartine and profiteroles.

From New York Times ● Jan. 28, 2020

"Monsieur is funning, he would not eat escargots himself."

From Sally Bishop A Romance by E. Temple (Ernest Temple) Thurston

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