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Definition of shallot
shallot
/ʃəˈlɑːt/
shal · lot
Plural:shallots
shallot Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
shallot Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
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WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A small bulbous vegetable of the allium family that grows in clusters like garlic and has a mild, slightly sweet onion flavor.
Example
"The chef finely diced a shallot to provide a subtle aromatic base for the red wine reduction."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for shallotWord Nuance & Usage
In some regions, particularly Australia and parts of the United States, 'shallot' is sometimes confusingly used colloquially to refer to scallions (spring onions), rather than the small, clustered bulb.
• Rhymes for shallot
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'eschalote', a variant of 'escaloigne', deriving from Latin 'ascalonia' (onion of Ascalon), named after the ancient coastal city of Ascalon in Palestine where the Greeks believed the vegetable originated.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Shallot. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/shallot