maigre

[ mey-ger; French me-gruh ]

/ ˈmeɪ gər; French ˈmɛ grə /

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adjective

containing neither flesh nor its juices, as food permissible on days of religious abstinence.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of maigre

From French, dating back to 1675–85; see origin at meager

Words nearby maigre

maidservant, Maidstone, Maidu, Maiduguri, maieutic, maigre, maihem, maik, maiko, Maikop, mail

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use maigre in a sentence

Merimee says of George Sand that he has known her "maigre comme un clou et noire comme une taupe."
Frederick Chopin as a Man and Musician|Frederick Niecks
For a maigre dish use fillets of fish, truffles, mushrooms, and Bechamel sauce (No. 3).
The Cook's Decameron: A Study in Taste:|Mrs. W. G. Waters
It can be bouillon maigre, instead of bouillon gras—just water and vegetables, without any meat.
A Fourth Form Friendship|Angela Brazil
The last four dishes may be made maigre by substituting melted butter or oyster sauce for white sauce.
The Gastronomic Regenerator:|Alexis Soyer

This was a name given him by the pope for an admirable soupe maigre which he invented for Lent.
Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol 1|The Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D.

British Dictionary definitions for maigre

maigre

/ (ˈmeɪɡə) /

adjective RC Church

not containing flesh, and so permissible as food on days of religious abstinencemaigre food

of or designating such a day

Word Origin for maigre

C17: from French: thin; see meagre

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