escargot

Everyday

1. (French food) A snail cooked to be eaten, usually with garlic butter, a famous dish in France. tree →
2. (French) In French, «escargot» is simply the everyday word for «snail»; it sounds like «ess-car-GO» with a silent t. tree →

In the lessons

In French lessons and lessons about food around the world, escargots are a classic example of French cuisine. In stories, a character who tries escargots is being brave about new foods. On menus in English-speaking countries the French word is used.

Examples

• Have you ever tried escargots? tree →
• The restaurant served escargots in garlic butter. tree →
• In French class we learned that «escargot» means snail. tree →
• My brother said escargots tasted like chewy mushrooms. tree →
• Escargots are eaten with special tongs and a little fork. tree →
• «Un escargot» is a garden snail in French. tree →

Note

Borrowed French word: the final t is silent. Plural «escargots». In English it means only the dish, while in French it is any snail.