Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Poultry or meat cut into pieces and stewed in gravy.
  • transitive verb To prepare (poultry or meat) by cutting into pieces and stewing in gravy.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To prepare or dress as a fricassee.
  • noun A dish made by cutting chickens, rabbits, or other small animals into pieces, and dressing them with a gravy in a frying-pan or a like utensil. Formerly also fricasee.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To dress like a fricassee.
  • noun (Cookery) A dish made of fowls, veal, or other meat of small animals cut into pieces, and stewed in a gravy.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun meat or poultry cut into small pieces, stewed or fried and served in its own gravy.
  • verb transitive to cook meat or poultry in this manner

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun pieces of chicken or other meat stewed in gravy with e.g. carrots and onions and served with noodles or dumplings
  • verb make a fricassee of by cooking

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French fricassée, from Old French, from feminine past participle of fricasser, to fricassee : probably frire, to fry (from Latin frīgere, to roast, fry) + casser, to break, crack (from Latin quassāre, to shake, shatter; see squash) or Vulgar Latin *coāctiāre, to press together (from Latin coāctus, past participle of cōgere, to drive or bring together; see cogent).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French fricassée (noun), from fricassée, past participle of fricasser (verb)

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Examples

  • Gode, in wandering by the river, had encountered a pond of giant frogs, and the fricassee was the result.

    The Scalp Hunters Mayne Reid 1850

  • The word "fricassee" is derived from Medieval French, and it appears that it originated in France in the Middle Ages, but it's been in the New World for a long time.

    Epicurious.com: New Recipes Sarah Kagan 2010

  • The word "fricassee" is derived from Medieval French, and it appears that it originated in France in the Middle Ages, but it's been in the New World for a long time.

    Epicurious.com: New Recipes 2010

  • I served the fricassee with Caribbean rice and peas -- made on the fly.

    Archive 2009-03-01 Laura 2009

  • Grace said ... that's so pretty! frankly, i think i enjoy simply saying fricassee, much less eating it.

    Monthly Mingle: Caribbean Chicken Fricassee, Maybe Laura 2009

  • Avoid making chicken dishes with fat-laden sauces including butter or cream, or fricassee, which uses a lot of oil.

    The Small Change Diet Keri Gans 2011

  • Mimi Ritzen Crawford for The Wall Street Journal The croque forestier, made with a fricassee of mushrooms, is pictured here.

    Fluctuating French Food 2011

  • MeetaK said ... the fricassee looks really d'lish. love the thick sauce and the rice is perfect. a great entry and thanks for joining us at the mingle!

    Monthly Mingle: Caribbean Chicken Fricassee, Maybe Laura 2009

  • "People really enjoy the croque forestier—with a fricassee of mushrooms—and the steamed eggs with prosciutto," said Ms. Williams.

    Changing French Scene 2011

  • This fricassee -- if it was a fricassee in the end -- is outstanding.

    Monthly Mingle: Caribbean Chicken Fricassee, Maybe Laura 2009

Comments

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  • This word is amazing. In fact, it should be stripped of its definition so that one might be able to say, "Oh fricassee! I've lost my wallet!" or "That fricasseein' bastard stole my shoelaces!" or "I took a lovely fricassee through the park." Truly this word has a veratile sound.

    May 20, 2009

  • Fricassee off!

    May 20, 2009

  • "I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee or a ragout."

    - Jonathan Swift, 'A Modest Proposal', 1729.

    August 3, 2009