piccalilli
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected 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
I make at home in large quantities and according to the best recipes gathered over years of experience, all kinds of pickles and relishes—sweet, sour, dill, chow-chow, piccalilli.
From How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters) A Complete Guide to Correct Business and Personal Correspondence by Crowther, Mary Owens
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.
