welsh rarebit
welsh rarebit Lexical Profile
• noun
British A traditional British dish consisting of a savory sauce made from melted cheese and various other ingredients—such as ale, mustard, paprika, or Worcestershire sauce—served hot over slices of toasted bread.
"For a comforting winter supper, she prepared a hearty Welsh rarebit using sharp cheddar and a splash of dark stout."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often originally known as 'Welsh rabbit', the word 'rarebit' is a folk etymology created later to avoid the literal implication that the dish contains rabbit meat.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Originates from 18th-century British slang 'Welsh rabbit', originally a humorous or derogatory jab suggesting that melted cheese was the closest a poor Welshman could get to eating meat. The spelling was altered to 'rarebit' in the late 18th century to make it sound like a proper culinary term.