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chowder

American  
[chou-der] / ˈtʃaʊ dər /

noun

  1. a thick soup or stew made of clams, fish, or vegetables, with potatoes, onions, and other ingredients and seasonings.

chowder British  
/ ˈtʃaʊdə /

noun

  1. a thick soup or stew containing clams or fish

"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

Etymology

Origin of chowder

1735–45, < French chaudière pot, kettle < Late Latin caldāria cauldron

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.

Matijevich recommends enjoying bowls of clam chowder with your favorite crusty bread, like focaccia or toasted slices of baguette.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

Anyone beyond the land of candlepin bowling and cringing at red clam chowder thought they had a better shot at finishing at the bottom of the standings than reaching the Super Bowl.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

A serving of a Boston-centric alternative, canned clam chowder, would bump the meal up to $3.64.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

Where to eat: Order ahi tacos, fried calamari and clam chowder at the Beachcomber, itself a quaint cottage with outdoor seating and spectacular sunset views.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2024

But even as the banker sniveled something that made Marlena blanch and stare in horror at her bowl of clam chowder, posters were being slapped up on every surface in town.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

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.