chorizo
chorizo Lexical Profile
chorizo Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A highly seasoned, coarsely ground pork sausage of Spanish origin, typically cured, dried, and flavored heavily with smoked paprika and garlic.
"She added slices of smoky Spanish chorizo to the paella to give it a rich, savory flavor."
North American A fresh, spicy ground pork sausage of Mexican origin, heavily seasoned with chili peppers and requiring cooking before consumption.
"For breakfast, he scrambled some eggs with spicy chorizo and served them in warm tortillas."
Word Nuance & Usage
A critical distinction exists in culinary contexts between Spanish chorizo, which is typically cured, smoked, and ready to eat, and Mexican chorizo, which is fresh and must be cooked before consumption.
• Rhymes for chorizo
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish 'chorizo', which likely derives from Late Latin 'sauricium', related to Latin 'salsicium' (meaning 'salted' or 'sausage').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.