tapenade

noun

ta·​pe·​nade ˌtä-pə-ˈnäd 

: a seasoned spread made chiefly with mashed black olives, capers, and anchovies

Examples of tapenade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 2023 Reserve Pinot Noir has aromas of black cherry, plum, and black olive tapenade with silky tannins and flavors of cherry, cranberry, and brown baking spices. —Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 22 May 2026

In a cheese spread: Serve mixed-olive tapenade with your cheese spread. —Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 23 Apr. 2026

These pickled wonders are the cornerstone of fragrant Moroccan stews (tagines) of chicken, lamb, beef, and fish, and dial up vinaigrettes, vegetarian dishes, fruit salads, tapenades, sauces, salsas, and even Bloody Marys. —Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026

The 11-year-old’s lunches consist of cheese sandwiches with olive tapenade, cucumber sandwiches and rice with nori. —Jenna Thompson march 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French tapénade, from Occitan tapenado, from tapeno caper, ultimately from Latin capparis — more at caper entry 3

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tapenade

• accolade
• ambuscade
• antegrade
• balustrade
• barricade
• cannonade
• cavalcade
• centigrade
• chambermaid
• colonnade
• countertrade
• disobeyed