caviar

noun

cav·​i·​ar ˈka-vē-ˌär 

 also  ˈkä-

variants or less commonly caviare

1

: processed salted roe of large fish (such as sturgeon)

2

: something considered too delicate or lofty for mass appreciation

—usually used in the phrase caviar to the general

3

: something considered the best of its kind

Did you know?

The eggs, or roe, of sturgeon are called caviar. Preserved with salt, caviar is usually eaten as an appetizer. Most true caviar is produced in Russia and Iran, from fish taken from the Caspian and Black seas. The best grade, beluga, is prepared from large black or gray eggs; fresh beluga caviar is relatively scarce and thus expensive. Lesser grades are from smaller, denser eggs. In the U.S., the roe of salmon, whitefish, lumpfish, and paddlefish is sometimes sold under the name caviar.

Examples of caviar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Add in a rotating selection of oysters, raw bar towers, and one of the city’s most fun bites: Siberian caviar and parmesan custard served in a salted waffle cone. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025

Enjoy caviar and Champagne at the welcome reception, learn about zingy drinks at the coffee cocktails seminar, sip and savor at the grand tasting, hike to lunch on Storm Peak and learn about Steamboat’s dark history, just to name a few activities. —Sarah Kuta, Denver Post, 7 July 2025

Soto South Lamar Roll selections at Soto offer a range from Wagyu Land & Sea, Honey Truffle to the Niku Niku roll, which features beef tenderloin, A5 Wagyu, chives and caviar. —Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025

Sushi | Bar, 610 Magazine St. This was Nashville's first complete omakase experience for the city, with a menu that starts at $165 per person, not including supplements like caviar and truffles and drink pairings from a wine, sake or Japanese whiskey list. —Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

earlier cavery, caviarie, from obsolete Italian caviari, plural of caviaro, from Turkish havyar

First Known Use

circa 1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for caviar

• abattoir
• alcazar
• autocar
• avatar
• belshazzar
• caviare
• cinnabar
• commissar
• condylar
• deodar
• handlebar
• isobar

Kids Definition

caviar

noun

cav·​i·​ar

variants also caviare

ˈkav-ē-ˌär 

 also  ˈkäv-

: the salted eggs of a large fish (as the sturgeon) usually served as an appetizer