bacalao

[ bah-kuh-lou, bak-uh-; Spanish bah-kah-lah-aw ]

noun

, Spanish or Spanish-American Cooking.

, plural ba·ca·laos [bah-k, uh, -, louz, bak-, uh, -, bah-kah-, lah, -aws].

1. codfish, especially when dried and salted.
2. a dish of this, cooked with a tomato sauce, olives, garlic, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bacalao¹

First recorded in 1545–55; from Spanish bacal(l)ao, probably from Basque bakaiļao, perhaps, by metathesis, from Gascon, the presumed source of Old French cabellau, cabillau ( French cabillaud ) “fresh codfish,” equivalent to Gascon cabilh, cabelh (diminutive of cap “head”) + a suffix, alluding to the fish's prominent head; though Medieval Latin (Flanders) cabellauwus, the earliest attestation of the form (compare Middle Dutch cab(b)eliau, Dutch kabeljauw ) suggests a non-Romance, northern European origin; chief

Example Sentences

But they jumped when, after plates of bacalao and glasses of white wine had been cleared, Ms. Mendieta checked her phone and exclaimed, “Oh my god!”

From New York Times

“Beñat makes traditional plates with modern touches, working with local products like mushrooms, bacalao and ‘teardrop’ spring peas,” said Mr. Garrido.

From New York Times

The menu, from Mr. Matheu, includes pintxos, like piquillo peppers stuffed with bacalao, croquetas, charcuterie and small plates of meatballs in tomato sauce and squid in ink.

From New York Times

Bacalao had numerous pairs of expensive, brand-name sneakers — Yeezys, Jordans, Adidas and Balenciaga — despite a rule forbidding detainees from having such items.

From New York Times

Bacalao had seven of the thin, jail-issued mattresses stacked atop one another to make a more comfortable bed, six more than anyone else had.

From New York Times