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• morel
  morel

  noun

  any edible mushroom of the genus Morchella, especially M. esculenta.
• Morel
  Morel

  noun

  Jean 1903–75, French orchestra conductor.

morel

¹ American  

[muh-rel] / məˈrɛl /

noun

1. any edible mushroom of the genus Morchella, especially M. esculenta.

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morel ² American  

[muh-rel] / məˈrɛl /

Or morelle

noun

1. any of several nightshades, especially the black nightshade.

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Morel ³ American  

[maw-rel, maw-rel] / mɔˈrɛl, mɔˈrɛl /

noun

1. Jean 1903–75, French orchestra conductor.

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morel British  

/ mɒˈrɛl /

noun

1. any edible saprotrophic ascomycetous fungus of the genus Morchella, in which the mushroom has a pitted cap: order Pezizales

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Etymology

Origin of morel¹

1665–75; < French, Middle French morille, perhaps < Vulgar Latin *maurīcula, derivative of Medieval Latin maurus brown, dark-colored; see morel ², -cule ¹

Origin of morel²

1350–1400; Middle English morel ( l ) e < Anglo-French < Medieval Latin maurella, equivalent to maur ( us ) brown, dark-colored (adj. use of Latin Maurus Moor ) + -ella -elle

Explanation

A morel is a delicious, but strange-looking, mushroom. These fungi are considered delicacies, and you're most likely to find morels on the menu of a very fancy restaurant. There are several varieties of these distinctive mushrooms, which have pitted or honeycombed caps, though there's disagreement about which can be considered true morels. The most sought-after of these tasty fungi grow wild in forests across the Northern Hemisphere, although they're also cultivated as part of a multimillion-dollar industry. French restaurants and gourmet cooks pay over 20 dollars per pound for morels. A possible source of morel, and the French morille, is a Germanic word meaning "root."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

morel Morel

Some, like the highly prized morel mushrooms, will enjoy seasons beginning as early as March.

From Salon ● Mar. 22, 2025

And like the community’s morel mushrooms that seem to grow well over shallow, hastily dug graves, there’s a sense of mulchy inevitability about it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2025

Hollow is a good sign—that means the morel is safe to eat.

From National Geographic ● May 30, 2023

She would sigh while describing the morel mushrooms and cream at Chez l’Ami Louis in Paris.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 6, 2023

As soon as Ben announced he’d spotted his first morel, I began looking down.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Responding to the review, Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel said legislation was being drafted that would allow people to have harmful content removed.

From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025

Responding, Morel said online safety was important and the review was "incredibly helpful".

From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025

“It’s not a grand conspiracy orchestrated by the system,” said Benjamin Morel, a professor of public law at Paris-Panthéon-Assas University.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2025

Messrs. Morel and White gather Douglass’s reflections on Lincoln—drawn from speeches, articles, letters and memoirs—to reveal a layered portrait of their relationship.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025

"Pray don't overlook the rest of your friends, M. Morel," said Rigolette, advancing; "see, we have all come to visit you at once!"

From The Mysteries of Paris, Volume 6 of 6 by Eugène Sue