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

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• escargots
  plural

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."