samphire

noun

sam·​phire ˈsam-ˌfī(-ə)r How to pronounce samphire (audio)
1
: a fleshy European seacoast plant (Crithmum maritimum) of the carrot family that is sometimes pickled
2
: a common glasswort (Salicornia europaea) that is sometimes pickled

Examples of samphire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Guests arrived by mahogany Venetian boats where they were greeted with champagne before a three-course dinner of tomato steak salad with samphire and pumpkin seed sauce, ricotta and spinach mezzelune with aged parmesan, plus scallops with a pistachio sauce and potato puree. Emily Strohm, Peoplemag, 28 June 2023 The ingredients are over 99 percent natural and include things like organic rock samphire, biotechnological lingonberry extract, wild harvested dulse algae extract and organic birch sap. WSJ, 25 Aug. 2022 Minke Gin is the first-ever product containing rock samphire to be imported to the country. Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 11 June 2022 Next, at the beach, take a seaweed walk alongside seals and sea birds and learn how to traditionally harvest seaweed, rock samphire and pepper dulse. Jennifer Billock, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2022 Sea urchin bruschetta with taramasalata and samphire with black rock salt are served quayside by a polished crew. Rachel Howard, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2021 Yet until recently, sea beans, which belong to the genus Salicornia and are also known as samphire, glasswort, pickleweed, and sea asparagus, had never figured prominently in Charleston’s storied culinary traditions. Caroline Hatchett, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2021 Salah sits down and proceeds to order the salmon fillet, which comes with rainbow carrots, samphire, smoked leek and potato puree. James Masters and Becky Anderson, CNN, 24 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'samphire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

alteration of earlier sampiere, from Middle French (herbe de) Saint Pierre, literally, St. Peter's herb

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of samphire was in 1545

Dictionary Entries Near samphire

Cite this Entry

“Samphire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/samphire. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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