samphire
noun
sam·phire
ˈsam-ˌfī(-ə)r 
1
: a fleshy European seacoast plant (Crithmum maritimum) of the carrot family that is sometimes pickled
2
: a common glasswort (Salicornia europaea) that is sometimes pickled
Examples of samphire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Guests arrived by mahogany Venetian boats where they were greeted with champagne before a three-course dinner of tomato steak salad with samphire and pumpkin seed sauce, ricotta and spinach mezzelune with aged parmesan, plus scallops with a pistachio sauce and potato puree.
—
Emily Strohm, Peoplemag, 28 June 2023
The ingredients are over 99 percent natural and include things like organic rock samphire, biotechnological lingonberry extract, wild harvested dulse algae extract and organic birch sap.
—WSJ, 25 Aug. 2022
Minke Gin is the first-ever product containing rock samphire to be imported to the country.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 11 June 2022
Next, at the beach, take a seaweed walk alongside seals and sea birds and learn how to traditionally harvest seaweed, rock samphire and pepper dulse.
—Jennifer Billock, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2022
Sea urchin bruschetta with taramasalata and samphire with black rock salt are served quayside by a polished crew.
—Rachel Howard, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2021
Yet until recently, sea beans, which belong to the genus Salicornia and are also known as samphire, glasswort, pickleweed, and sea asparagus, had never figured prominently in Charleston’s storied culinary traditions.
—Caroline Hatchett, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2021
Salah sits down and proceeds to order the salmon fillet, which comes with rainbow carrots, samphire, smoked leek and potato puree.
—James Masters and Becky Anderson, CNN, 24 Apr. 2018
See More
Emily Strohm, Peoplemag, 28 June 2023
The ingredients are over 99 percent natural and include things like organic rock samphire, biotechnological lingonberry extract, wild harvested dulse algae extract and organic birch sap.
—WSJ, 25 Aug. 2022
Minke Gin is the first-ever product containing rock samphire to be imported to the country.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 11 June 2022
Next, at the beach, take a seaweed walk alongside seals and sea birds and learn how to traditionally harvest seaweed, rock samphire and pepper dulse.
—Jennifer Billock, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2022
Sea urchin bruschetta with taramasalata and samphire with black rock salt are served quayside by a polished crew.
—Rachel Howard, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2021
Yet until recently, sea beans, which belong to the genus Salicornia and are also known as samphire, glasswort, pickleweed, and sea asparagus, had never figured prominently in Charleston’s storied culinary traditions.
—Caroline Hatchett, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2021
Salah sits down and proceeds to order the salmon fillet, which comes with rainbow carrots, samphire, smoked leek and potato puree.
—James Masters and Becky Anderson, CNN, 24 Apr. 2018
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'samphire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
alteration of earlier sampiere, from Middle French (herbe de) Saint Pierre, literally, St. Peter's herb
First Known Use
1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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Cite this Entry
“Samphire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/samphire. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.
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