caviar

noun

cav·i·ar | \ ˈka-vē-ˌär also ˈkä-

variants: or less commonly caviare

Definition of caviar

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? Example Sentences Learn More about caviar

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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

As a result, all trade in wild caviar has been tightly controlled under a global treaty since 1998. — Lucy Craymer, WSJ, "Somebody Call a Sturgeon! Caviar Prices Are Flatlining," 18 Mar. 2019 Beer caviar combines both cultures into one single dish as a tribute of sorts to both countries. — Emily Price, Fortune, "Beer Caviar is a Thing at the World Cup," 28 June 2018 Cocktails and pink moon oysters and caviar buns and foie gras tartlets and fluke tartare and strip-loin steak and fish ssäm and everything else on the menu at Momofuku? — Kimberly Cutter, Marie Claire, "How Did Halsey Get Here?," 13 July 2018 Since the beginning, caviar has mostly come from three species of sturgeon harvested from the Caspian Sea. — Bailey Loosemore, The Courier-Journal, "Kentucky is swimming with potential to take over the US caviar market," 28 June 2018 But the connections are faulty and the writing is weak; the Romanov/Romanoff conceit is like caviar on a ham sandwich. — John Anderson, WSJ, "‘The Romanoffs’ Review: Far From Revolutionary," 11 Oct. 2018 Those familiar with the Oscar-winning Danish film from 1987 — which builds up to the banquet and essentially ushered in the era of the modern food flick — will be able to conjure up visions of blini with caviar and rum spongecake. — Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, "Review: ‘Babette’s Feast’ Is Served, This Time Onstage," 26 Mar. 2018 And while others lingered in the shop, Paltrow migrated to nearby boîte Sadelle’s for a late-night dinner party, replete with caviar, for a luxe punctuation to the evening. — Edward Barsamian, Vogue, "Gwyneth Paltrow Celebrates Goop Lab’s New York Arrival," 15 Nov. 2018 Large and geometric, the sculpture is made of white steel covered in clusters of black magnetic beads, meant to mimic black caviar. — Jenna Rosenstein, Harper's BAZAAR, "La Prairie Proves That Skin Care Is A Work Of Art," 16 June 2017

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