meringue

¹

[muh-rang]

noun

1. a delicate, frothy mixture made with beaten egg whites and sugar or hot syrup, and browned, used as a topping for pies, pastry, etc.

2. a pastry or pastry shell made by baking such a mixture, sometimes filled with fruit, whipped cream, etc.

méringue

²

[mey-rang]

noun

méringued, méringuing 

1. merengue.

meringue

/ məˈræŋ /

noun

1. stiffly beaten egg whites mixed with sugar and baked, often as a topping for pies, cakes, etc

2. a small cake or shell of this mixture, often filled with cream

Other Word Forms

• unmeringued adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of meringue¹

1700–10; < French méringue; perhaps to be identified with dial. (Walloon) maringue shepherd's loaf, marinde food for an outdoor repast (< Latin merenda light afternoon meal, probably feminine gerund of merere to merit, such a meal being part of a laborer's wages), though certain evidence is lacking; association with the town of Meiringen (Bern canton, Switzerland) is solely by folk etymology

Origin of meringue²

< French < Haitian Creole

Word History and Origins

Origin of meringue¹

C18: from French, origin obscure

Example Sentences

Prix-fixe dishes change every three months, but feature magazine-worthy creations like The Bees’ Nest, made with toasted honey, Franco-Suisse meringue, vanilla pear, apple compote and whipped honey ganache — each paired with a beverage.

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It stands out from other peach pies thanks to its three distinct textures: a crisp crust, lightly baked peaches and a fluffy, tender, toasted meringue.

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Asapahu, meanwhile, offers miniature makrut lime meringue tarts as an homage to Thai cuisine, which uses the tree's leaves in its seasonings.

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Pointing to another that looks like a black and orange meringue with gold dusting, he explains: "This is a real mystery - we don't even know what it is made of."

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Not the delicate meringues or the aggressively frosted cupcakes of childhood birthday parties, but the muscular, memory-laced ones.

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