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

Eleven Madison Park alum chef Brian Lockwood serves up dishes like caviar-flecked cauliflower chawanmushi and an umami bomb of a Jonah crab salad infused with horseradish, miso, and melon. —Amy Tara Koch, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2025

Think mountains of crab legs and shrimp; tin after tin of caviar; carving stations; regional dishes, like French and Italian; charcuterie; the finest cheeses and enticing desserts seemingly as far as the eye could see. —Susan B. Barnes, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2025

And a vodka-and-caviar server designed to cradle a 50-gram tin is both functional and fantastical, a jewel box for roe. —Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2025

Each purchase comes with a pretty mother-of-pearl caviar spoon. —Abbey Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Dec. 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