beignet

noun bei·gnet \ ˌbān-ˈyā , ˌben- \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of beignet

1 : fritter

2 : a light square doughnut usually sprinkled with powdered sugar

Recent Examples of beignet from the Web

Don’t skip the sumptuous grouper with cornbread gnudi or the the crab beignets.

— shayne benowitz, miamiherald, "How to spend four days island-hopping in the Florida Keys | Miami Herald," 10 Apr. 2018
Dessert options include Meyer lemon beignets at brunch and crème brûlée with Champagne berries at dinner.

— julie giuffrida, latimes.com, "Our 2018 Easter dining guide: brunch buffets, mimosas and plenty of eggs," 27 Mar. 2018
In Sicily, the thick beignet batter is fried, rather than baked, into puffs.

— domenica marchetti, chicagotribune.com, "How to make fried Sicilian St. Joseph's Day treat called sfince," 16 Mar. 2018
There are beignets for dessert at Gideon Sweet, Matthias Merges and Graham Elliot's reunion of sorts in the Randolph Street space that once housed the latter chef's Graham Elliot Bistro.

— mike sula, Chicago Reader, "Is Matthias Merges and Graham Elliot's Gideon Sweet the second coming of Yusho?," 21 Feb. 2018
Greenfield, takes on Fat Tuesday with Abita beers, available alone or in a flight of four with four mini beignets for $20 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. See the event page on Facebook.

— kathy flanigan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Beer Here: Combine culture, craft beer at Next Act Theater — MobCraft brings brew," 6 Feb. 2018
Tourists gobbled up beignets and king cakes, but no one who ever came from out of town to visit asked to eat a Hubig’s pie.

— sophie lucido johnson, Bon Appetit, "Here's to Hubig's: The New Orleans Bakery That Might Never Return," 23 Jan. 2018
Following their inaugural throws, the children were presented with jambalaya, red beans and rice, beignets, crawfish and king cake.

— ann maloney, NOLA.com, "Tortilla chip made with Camellia red beans, rice, Crystal from Hola Nola," 12 Feb. 2018
And at any time of day: beignets, fried swiftly in oil kept at a steady 375 degrees.

— ligaya mishan, New York Times, "At Cafe Booqoo, New Orleans Favorites, Spicy and Sweet," 18 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'beignet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of beignet

American French & French; American French, from French, from Middle French bignet, from buyne bump, bruise

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1827

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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beignet

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