Definitions

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

  • noun A rectangular piece of pastry made with crisp, flaky layers filled with custard cream.
  • noun A 20-franc gold coin formerly used in France.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A modern French gold coin of the value of 20 francs, or slightly less than $4; a twenty-franc piece, or pièce de vingt francs. See louis.
  • noun A French modification of the game of euchre, played by not more than six persons, every one for himself. Also nap.
  • noun A small piece of frosted pastry, made by putting several thin layers of puff-paste together with a cream filling.
  • noun plural The crimson clover, Trifolium incarnatum.

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

  • Napoleon Bonaparte (or Buonaparte), Born at Ajaccio, Corsica, Aug. 15, 1766, or, according to some, at Corte, Jan. 7, 1768; died at Longwood, St. Helena, May 5, 1821. Emperor of the French 1804-14.
  • noun A French gold coin of twenty francs, no longer minted or circulated. It bore the portrait of Napoleon I. or Napoleon III.
  • noun A game in which each player holds five cards, the eldest hand stating the number of tricks he will bid to take, any subsequent player having the right to overbid him or a previous bidder, the highest bidder naming the trump and winning a number of points equal to his bid if he makes so many tricks, or losing the same number of points if he fails to make them.
  • noun A bid to take five tricks at napoleon. It is ordinarily the highest bid; but sometimes bids are allowed of wellington, or of blucher, to take five tricks, or pay double, or treble, if unsuccessful.
  • noun A Napoleon gun.
  • noun A kind of top boot of the middle of the 19th century.
  • noun A shape and size of cigar. It is about seven inches long.
  • noun a puff pastry confection, usually layered, with a filling of custard or cream, or sometimes jelly.

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

  • noun a gold coin worth twenty francs issued by Napoleon I; a twenty-franc coin

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

  • noun a rectangular piece of pastry with thin flaky layers and filled with custard cream
  • noun a card game similar to whist; usually played for stakes
  • noun French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)

Etymologies

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

[After Napoleon I.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From the French Imperial forename Napoleon, usually with reference to Napoleon Bonaparte.

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Examples

  • There was something queer in the business evidently, but a napoleon was a napoleon, and his fees were neither large nor numerous.

    The Lovels of Arden 1875

  • I never dreamed my feet could look so beautiful and almost danced back out onto the street where the scent of cigarette smoke, Chanel No. 5, garlic, and apple napoleon mingled in the air with the angst-ridden soundtrack provided by a lonely violinist and decrepit accordion player.

    Welcome to My World Johnny Weir 2011

  • I never dreamed my feet could look so beautiful and almost danced back out onto the street where the scent of cigarette smoke, Chanel No. 5, garlic, and apple napoleon mingled in the air with the angst-ridden soundtrack provided by a lonely violinist and decrepit accordion player.

    Welcome to My World Johnny Weir 2011

  • Then I woke up at 2: 30 AM ferociously queasy, probably a delayed reaction to the richness of aforementioned caramel napoleon.

    Statement of Intent, 4/27/09 kirizal 2009

  • Star dishes include appetizers such as crab papaya potato napoleon with pickled habanero cilantro cream and cornmeal crusted oysters with horseradish cream and microgreens.

    No License, No Worry Here Lettie Teague 2011

  • Second: renting out MoMA for a fancy schmancy dinner afterward with Satur Farms crimson and yellow beet salad, Niman Ranch Filet Mignon and a lemon crème brulee napoleon—plus a bottle of Champagne on the way out?

    Clamoring for Glamour Marshall Heyman 2011

  • I never dreamed my feet could look so beautiful and almost danced back out onto the street where the scent of cigarette smoke, Chanel No. 5, garlic, and apple napoleon mingled in the air with the angst-ridden soundtrack provided by a lonely violinist and decrepit accordion player.

    Welcome to My World Johnny Weir 2011

  • MY, all the napoleon and waterloo stuff – and the flooding of waterloo videos on rightwing facebook sites – and you go with Spoon?

    Matthew Yglesias » Endgame 2010

  • Before digging into a lobster napoleon, Ms. Chao mingled among some of her masterpieces: a choker with the weight of 36.64 marquise cut diamonds, a crimson rose butterfly made of 9.45 carats of cabochon cut ruby.

    At Fancy Parties, Bling Is on the Upswing Marshall Heyman 2010

  • The meringue napoleon, with grapefruit, buttermilk custard and Campari syrup $9, provides an airy , sweet-tart finish.

    Neighborly in Midtown 2011

Comments

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  • "An oblong portion of rich iced cake consisting of several layers of puff paste with a cream filling."

    December 14, 2006

  • a variety of cherry

    June 18, 2008