confit

noun

con·​fit kōn-ˈfē How to pronounce confit (audio)
kȯn-,
kän-
1
: meat (such as goose, duck, or pork) that has been cooked and preserved in its own fat
2
: a garnish made usually from fruit or vegetables that are cooked until tender in a seasoned liquid

Examples of confit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Of course, there’s pasta: tortellini with 36-month Parmigiano Reggiano, lemon confit, and Malongo coffee oil. Jenn Rice, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 Made with tomato water and white balsamic condiment, Remy’s Ratatouille is a fine dining twist on the provençal vegetable classic from Ratatouille, while Tony and Joe’s Spaghetti is the legendary Lady and the Tramp spaghetti dish featuring veal confit and a Comté cheese emulsion. Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 21 Mar. 2025 Another favorite dish of mine was the duck confit at the Boulevardier: a classic business lunch place. Liza B. Zimmerman, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025 For main dishes, the lamb lollipops are divine, as are other menu options such as goat cheese gnocchi, duck confit and steak frites. Alexandra Maloney, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confit

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, noun derivative from past participle of confire "to treat (food, an animal or vegetable substance) in order to preserve it," going back to Old French "to prepare (a drink), preserve (fruit) in a liquid or sugar," going back to Latin conficere "to carry out, perform, make, bring about, collect, bring to completion" — more at confect

Note: In sense 1 the French word is most likely a gallicized form of the cognate word in the Occitan of Gascony or Languedoc. See note at comfit.

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of confit was in 1951

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Cite this Entry

“Confit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confit. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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