truffle

noun

truf·​fle ˈtrə-fəl  ˈtrü- 

1

a

: the dark or light edible subterranean fruiting body of several European ascomycetous fungi (especially genus Tuber)

also : any of various similar fruiting bodies of related fungi

b

: a fungus that produces truffles

2

: a candy made of chocolate, butter, sugar, and sometimes liqueur shaped into balls and often coated with cocoa

Examples of truffle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Another crowd favorite — mine, too — was the only beef on the menu: Galbi Hot Stone Bowl ($38) — marinated short ribs on rice, with lotus roots, sautéed mushrooms, kimchi, green onions and truffle zest. —Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2025

Italian Truffle Hunting Italy’s leading sustainable luxury hotel, Casa di Langa, offers truffle hunting excursions on its estate for moms who crave an immersive culinary adventure. —Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025

Local specialities reared on these soils—a treasure trove of black Périgord truffles, pâtés, foie gras, walnuts, cheeses, cep mushrooms, and strawberries. —Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2025

Part of Dweck and Kershaw’s implicit point is that the humble truffle is now anything but. —Ben Kenigsberg, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

modification of Middle French truffe, from Old Occitan trufa, from Vulgar Latin *tufera; akin to Latin tuber swelling, truffle — more at tuber

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for truffle

• duffel
• duffle
• muffle
• ruffle
• scuffle
• shuffle
• reshuffle

Kids Definition

truffle

noun

truf·​fle ˈtrəf-əl  ˈtrüf- 

: the dark or light wrinkled fruiting body of a European fungus that grows in the ground

also : a fungus that produces truffles