fondue

noun

fon·​due fän-ˈdü 

-ˈdyü,

ˈfän-ˌd(y)ü

variants or less commonly fondu

1

: a dish similar to a soufflé usually made with cheese and bread crumbs

2

a(1)

: a preparation of melted cheese (such as Swiss cheese and Gruyère) usually flavored with white wine and kirsch

(2)

: a dish that consists of small pieces of food (such as meat or fruit) cooked in or dipped into a hot liquid

beef fondue

chocolate fondue

b

: a chafing dish in which fondue is made

Examples of fondue in a Sentence

dip fruit in melted chocolate to have a chocolate fondue

Recent Examples on the Web

The fondue set was based on a reference from an interior design magazine from the 1960s, presented on a circular dining table. —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2025

At their cozy restaurant, Chalet de Gruyères, guests can indulge in their specialty fondue. —Jeryl Brunner, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025

Plus, every Wednesday, the spot does a winter fondue night. Passport: Explore the finest destinations and experiences around the world in the Forbes Passport newsletter. —Rachel Dube, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

The cozy, buzzy restaurant serves up some interesting small plates such as burrata fondue and chicory salad but doesn’t seem to have a lot of structure to its menu. —Liza B. Zimmerman, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, noun derivative from feminine of fondu, past participle of fondre "to melt," going back to Old French — more at found entry 5

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fondue

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

fondue

noun

fon·​due fän-ˈd(y)ü 

: a preparation of melted cheese and flavorings