French word

cornichon

Pronunciation

IPA/kɔʁniʃɔ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nounpickle

Example

Pour l'apéro, il y a des cornichons et du pain.

For the aperitif, there are pickles and bread.

Illustration for cornichon (pickle)

More examples

Nous avons mis des cornichons au vinaigre dans le sandwich.

We put pickled gherkins in the sandwich.

Core concept

A small, crisp cucumber adding a sharp vinegar tang beside other foods.

Common phrases

  • cornichons au vinaigre

    pickled gherkins

  • salade aux cornichons

    salad with pickled gherkins

Similar words

concombre: A fresh cucumber grown in fields and eaten raw or used in cooking.
olive: An olive fruit preserved in salt or oil, served as an appetizer or garnish.
accompagnement: A side dish or accompaniment served with a meal.

Definition in French

Petit concombre conservé dans le vinaigre, croquant et acidulé, servi comme condiment.

Word origin

The French noun cornichon is a diminutive formation related to corne, 'horn', and came to denote this small cucumber.

Usage tips

  • Cornichon is masculine, so the usual singular article is un, as in un cornichon.

Word lists with this word