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niçoise

[ nee-swahz; French nee-swaz ]

adjective

  1. in the style of Nice, France.
  2. garnished or prepared with tomatoes, and often anchovies, black olives, capers, etc.:

    salade niçoise.



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Word History and Origins

Origin of niçoise1

Ellipsis of French à la niçoise ( niçoise, feminine of niçois, equivalent to Nice Nice + -ois, Old French -eis < Latin -ēnsis -ensis )
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Example Sentences

Later he bought a copy of the Nicoise and learnt of the tragedy on the San Remo road.

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More About Nicoise

What does niçoise mean?

Niçoise is most often used in the name of a salad that typically includes tomatoes, olives, and anchovies, among other ingredients.

In general, niçoise means “in the style of Nice, France.” Niçoise is also used to refer to the niçoise olive, a small variety of olive with a rich, nutty flavor. Because it refers to a place name, it is sometimes capitalized as Niçoise. It is properly spelled with the mark under the c (called a cedilla), but that is usually omitted by English speakers.

Example: I love a good niçoise salad, especially when it has tuna.

Where does niçoise come from?

Niçoise comes from the French phrase à la niçoise and means “of Nice,” a French city on the Mediterranean coast. Other things can be described as niçoise (like the olive), but it is best known as the name of the salad associated with Nice, France, where it is said to have originated. In French, it is called salade niçoise.

Niçoise salad usually contains tomatoes, olives, and anchovies, and it is usually dressed with olive oil. However, controversy reigns over what the correct formulation should be. Purists claim that the original was made with just tomatoes, anchovies, and olive oil. However, common additions include hard-boiled eggs, tuna, potatoes, green beans, spring onions, and basil. Some suggest that even adding lettuce is unacceptable.

After you decide exactly what you should put in it, make sure you know how to pronounce it: it’s [ nee-swahz ] (not [ nih-koiz ]).

Did you know ... ?

What are some words that often get used in discussing niçoise?

How is niçoise used in real life?

Niçoise salad is one of those popular salads with a famous name, like Caesar salad, Cobb salad, and Waldorf salad.

 

 

Try using niçoise?

Which of the following things would not be appropriate to describe as niçoise?

A. a type of olive
B. a salad with tomatoes, olives, and anchovies
C. a type of Italian bread made in Naples

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Nicodemusniçoise olive