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mirepoix

American  
[mir-pwah] / mɪrˈpwɑ /
Or mirepois

noun

  1. a flavoring made from diced vegetables, seasonings, herbs, and sometimes meat, often placed in a pan to cook with meat or fish.

  2. finely chopped vegetables, as onions and carrots, sometimes with meat, often used as a bed for meat that is to be braised.


mirepoix British  
/ mɪəˈpwɑː /

noun

  1. a mixture of sautéed root vegetables used as a base for braising meat or for various sauces

"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

Etymology

Origin of mirepoix

1875–80; < French; said to have been named after C. P. G. F. de Lévis, duke of Mirepoix, 18th-century French diplomat


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:

Bell peppers, jalapeños, a mirepoix and a butt-load of seasoning.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

West African gumbo tends to be made with way, way more okra and, instead of relying on a roux or mirepoix to impart flavor, it contains dried fish powder, shrimp powder and “heavy-duty spices.”

From Salon ● Feb. 9, 2024

Gills Onions, a California-based company, voluntarily recalled packages of diced yellow onions, red onions, and onions and celery, as well as a mix of onions, celery and carrots known as mirepoix.

From New York Times ● Oct. 25, 2023

For instance, a typical Chinese mirepoix comprises garlic, scallions and ginger.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 10, 2023

Truss fourteen snipe and cook them in a mirepoix made with plenty of ham, fat bacon, herbs, and a wine glass of Marsala.

From The Cook's Decameron: a study in taste, containing over two hundred recipes for Italian dishes by Mrs. W. G. Waters

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