fricassee

[ frik-uh-see ]

noun

1. meat, especially chicken or veal, browned lightly, stewed, and served in a sauce made with its own stock.

verb (used with object)

, fric·as·seed, fric·as·see·ing.

1. to prepare as a fricassee.

fricassee

/ ˈfrɪkəsɪ; ˈfrɪkəˌseɪ; ˌfrɪkəˈsiː /

noun

1. stewed meat, esp chicken or veal, and vegetables, served in a thick white sauce

verb

1. tr to prepare (meat) as a fricassee

Word History and Origins

Origin of fricassee¹

1560–70; < Middle French, noun use of feminine past participle of fricasser to cook chopped food in its own juice, probably equivalent to fri ( re ) to fry ¹ + casser to break, crack (< Latin quassāre to shake, damage, batter); compare, however, dial. fricâssié, perhaps with a reflex of Vulgar Latin *coāctiāre, verbal derivative of Latin coāctus compressed, condensed, past participle of cōgere; cogent

Word History and Origins

Origin of fricassee¹

C16: from Old French, from fricasser to fricassee; probably related to frire to fry ¹

Example Sentences

I was all set to tell you about a fricassee of shrimp, mussels and sea bass splayed over saffron rice and ringed with zesty sauce américaine.

From Washington Post

Child’s landmark 1961 cookbook contained 524 recipes, for aspics and sweetbreads, poached eggs and mushrooms, chicken fricassee and calf’s brains in wine.

From Washington Post

The look she gave me would have fricasseed a rhino.

From Literature

The result was a fricassee, very well done.

From New York Times

He met the ask — bottle of on-sale wine included! — and surprised me even more when he cleaned my countertops with a leftover lemon half, the juice of which had been used for chicken fricassee.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• bubble
• burn
• churn
• ferment
• rage
• seethe
• stew
• stir
• warm