omelette
Britishnoun
Etymology
Origin of omelette
C17: from French omelette, changed from alumette, from alumelle sword blade, changed by mistaken division from la lemelle, from Latin (see lamella ); apparently from the flat shape of the omelette
Explanation
An omelette is an egg dish that's folded in half and filled with cheese, meat, or vegetables. Next time you go out to breakfast, try ordering an omelette instead of your usual fried eggs! The word omelette is French, from a root meaning "thin, small plate," a reference to an omelette's flat shape. Historians have traced the omelette back to ancient Persia, where cooks made savory dishes using beaten eggs. Today's omelette is generally fluffy and filled with cheese, and while the one you get at a diner may seem large, it can't match the world's largest omelette, which weighed over 14,000 pounds and used 145,000 eggs.
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.
There’s also my go-to dining hall omelette and scrambled eggs, made with butter, crumbled feta cheese, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and Old Bay seasoning.
From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2026
"A monkey broke in the hotel restaurant, climbed down a pole and stole my croissant and omelette," he said.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
Hahn remembers visiting the restaurant at least once or twice a week for a Philly cheesesteak omelette or a King Saugus Burger when he worked in the area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2026
Fancy an omelette made from fish instead of eggs?
From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2023
He wolfed down bread, butter, and a mushroom omelette.
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.