salmagundi
/ˌsal.məˈɡʌn.di/
salmagundi means A food consisting of chopped meat and pickled herring, with oil, vinegar, pepper, and onions. It carries an Arena rating of 1588, earned across 39 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, salmagundi ranks #259 of 17,163 for Funniest Words, #321 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #498 of 17,140 for Most Whimsical Words, #721 of 17,127 for Most Vivid Words.
salmagundi is pronounced /ˌsal.məˈɡʌn.di/.
Why “salmagundi” is a great word
SALMAGUNDI — [Noun] A hearty dish of chopped meats, pickled herring, and vegetables, or, by extension, any miscellaneous and eclectic assortment. From French salmigondis (“seasoned salt meats”), from Middle French salmigondin, probably related to Middle French salomene (“hodgepodge of meats or fish cooked in wine”), from Old French salemine. Unlike “potpourri,” which suggests a curated, fragrant assembly, or “medley,” which implies a harmonious sequence, a salmagundi is a tangible, edible jumble where disparate parts retain their stubborn identities. It is the briny scent of pickled fish mingling with gamey venison, the chaotic bounty of a flea-market table, and the ink-stained disorder of an editor’s desk—a testament to the practical, generative beauty of making-do with whatever is at hand.
Etymology
From French salmigondis (“seasoned salt meats”), from Middle French salmigondin, probably related to Middle French salomene (“hodgepodge of meats or fish cooked in wine”), from Old French salemine.
noun
- A food consisting of chopped meat and pickled herring, with oil, vinegar, pepper, and onions.
- Hence, any mixture of various ingredients; an olio or medley; a potpourri; a miscellany.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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