piccalilli
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of piccalilli
1760–70; earlier piccalillo Indian pickle; obscurely akin to pickle 1
Explanation
In some regions of the U.S., piccalilli is a condiment made of finely chopped sweet peppers, pickles, or tomatoes. You might add piccalilli to your hotdog or hamburger at a summer cookout. The word piccalilli (originally piccalillo) comes from pickle. The earliest versions of these chopped vegetable concoctions were a reinterpretation of traditional South Asian pickle by British colonizers. Piccalilli in all its forms is much less spicy than the Indian version; in England, it's often made with cauliflower and cucumber, and seasoned with turmeric and mustard. Classic American pickle relish is also a kind of piccalilli.
Vocabulary lists containing piccalilli
5th Grade World Cuisine, List 1
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Vocabulary from Readings 1, Unit 1
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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 an extra charge for crusty whole-grain bread that’s not made in-house but worth having alongside the porky slab of Huntsham Court Farm terrine with piccalilli.
From New York Times • Jul. 15, 2016
The rib-eye is smartly paired with piccalilli and mini cheddar-and-horseradish popovers, just the rousing contrapuntal notes for the meat's rich marbling and char.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 24, 2010
"You had to import Bird's custard, Branston pickle and piccalilli... you had to buy PG Tips and then deal with the French milk."
From The Guardian • Apr. 24, 2010
The Ferris wheel was turning, the roller coaster swooped down its artificial abysses, and the piccalilli was waiting to be judged.
From Time Magazine Archive
In reaching the tin of "foy grass" from the top shelf, he had knocked down and broken a bottle of piccalilli, catching its contents in the crystallised sugar drawer.
From Mrs. Day's Daughters by Mann, Mary E.
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.
