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

Then comes a Tuna and Salmon Tartar with a hit of caviar, a bit of yuzu kosho, and some wonderfully crispy lotus root chips. —Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

One of the most memorable scenes from You've Got Mail features Kathleen (Ryan) chastising Joe (Tom Hanks) for hoarding all of the caviar instead of using it as a garnish. —Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 14 June 2025

Fans in the premium seats at Arthur Ashe Stadium could order a $100 version that came with crème fraîche and a tin of Petrossian caviar. —Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 14 June 2025

Once cooked, those miniscule grains fluff up to be the size of small caviar. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 June 2025

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