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

Highlights include a tom kha caviar tartlet with galangal coconut cream and Ossetra caviar, uni jok with wild rice porridge and Hokkaido uni, and scallop tom yum with lemongrass and makrut lime leaves. —Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

Mimicking the dark color and high shine of caviar pearls, caviar nails use a reflective cat-eye finish for the same look. —Vanessa Santos, Glamour, 17 Jan. 2026

Everything from the Japanese beef tasting flights and Black Label burger to the seafood on the towers and caviar and chips is perfect. —Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 15 Jan. 2026

The truffle-butter bagel was called Breakfast in Front of the TV, and a foie gras gelato with caviar dish got the name Ice Cream Truck. —Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 14 Jan. 2026

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