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  • quiche
    quiche
    noun
    a pielike dish consisting of an unsweetened pastry shell filled with a custard and usually containing cheese and other ingredients, as vegetables, seafood, or ham.
  • Quiché
    Quiché
    noun
    a Mayan language of Guatemala.

quiche

1 American  
[keesh] / kiʃ /

noun

  • quiches
    plural
  1. a pielike dish consisting of an unsweetened pastry shell filled with a custard and usually containing cheese and other ingredients, as vegetables, seafood, or ham.

    spinach quiche.


Quiché 2 American  
[kee-chay] / kiˈtʃeɪ /

noun

  1. a Mayan language of Guatemala.


quiche British  
/ kiːʃ /

noun

  1. an open savoury tart with a rich custard filling to which bacon, onion, cheese, etc, are added

    quiche Lorraine

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of quiche

1945–50; < French < German (dial.) Küche, diminutive of Küchen cake


Explanation

A quiche is a savory, egg-based dish that's cooked in pastry like a tart or a pie. You might enjoy eating quiche for brunch at your favorite cafe. You could describe a quiche as an omelet (or a non-sweet custard) that's baked inside a pie crust. Eggs are essential for making a quiche, often mixed with cheese, vegetables, seafood, or meat. Quiche is a French word that first appeared in English in the mid-20th century and became very popular around 1970. It comes from the German Kuchen, or "cake."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing quiche

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:

There is a custom-made warmer for meals, with beef brisket and veggie quiche on the menu.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026

Ad-libbing, in addition to quiche, was on the menu tonight.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2026

The food we see being made includes different types of pasta, focaccia, frittata, Korean fried chicken, quiche and doughnuts.

From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2025

Everyone loves them, and they are the perfect sweet treat to go with a delicious quiche or an eggs-and-bacon board.

From Seattle Times ● May 7, 2024

“I do not get the obsession,” Moody murmured to Trip, in the corner behind the kitchen island, where they had retreated with paper plates of quiche and pastries.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Simon’s research has found that in the three departments where most Guatemalan migrants are from – Quiché, Huehuetenango y San Marcos – smugglers’ family rates have halved in recent months.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 8, 2019

Detainees are given medical care, information is provided in English, Spanish and even Quiché, an indigenous Central American language spoken by some of the new arrivals.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 7, 2017

They wrote love letters and spoke to each other by phone in Quiché, a Mayan dialect.

From New York Times ● Feb. 1, 2010

I was born in Chinique, El Quiché, Guatemala, in 1960, the year hell came to that country.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

Quoting many authentic ancient records, including the Quiché manuscript of the Mayas, the Ipuwer papyrus of the Egyptians, and the Visiddhi-Magga of the Buddhists, Dr. Velikovsky describes the cataclysm that took place.

From The Flying Saucers are Real by Donald E. (Donald Edward) Keyhoe

Fleuropean retreats run from $3,600 for five days and include accommodation at a picture-perfect château, all-you-can-pick flowers, one-on-one guidance from Avenson and meals, including morning deliveries of breakfast pastries, quiches and triple-crème cheeses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 4, 2026

République is so pricey, but they have such yummy pastries and quiches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2025

Yes, pigs in a blanket, but also spanakopita, cheese puffs, mini quiches, crab cakes, bacon wrapped scallops, empanadas, dumplings, mini pizzas, jalapeno poppers and so on.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 30, 2023

Sarah Turner, head of development at catering company Social Pantry is a fan of quiches and frittatas for parties.

From BBC ● May 2, 2023

Plates of petit-waffles, boiled eggs, tiny quiches, grape clusters, and sweet luna pastries are placed in front of me.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton

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