meringue
/mə.ʁɛ̃ɡ/
In French, meringue means mixture.
While the term can refer to a mixture, it is also used in the context of pastries, such as the merveilleux, which is a delicate pastry made of meringue, whipped cream and various toppings.
Meaning: mixture (noun)
Which one should you use?
The singular form is meringue and the plural form is meringues.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form is formed by adding an 's' to the end.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /mə.ʁɛ̃ɡ/.
Did you know?
- In French, the process of beating egg whites to create a meringue is called monter en neige, which literally translates to 'rising like snow'.
- The word meringue actually traces its roots back to the Netherlands rather than France, despite being a staple of French pastry shops.
- French chefs distinguish between meringue française and meringue italienne based on whether the sugar is added raw or as a boiled syrup.
Examples in context
- Nous avons dégusté les meringuesWe tasted the meringues
- J'ai préparé une meringue délicieuse pour le dessert.I prepared a delicious meringue for dessert.
- Les meringues sont légères et croustillantes.The meringues are light and crispy.
- Je suis fan des tartes à la meringue.I am a fan of meringue pies.
- La meringue est très sucrée.The meringue is very sweet.
- Il reste un peu de meringue dans le bol.There is a little meringue left in the bowl.
- Cette meringue est bien ferme.This meringue is quite firm.
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are in the kitchen after baking.
- EmmaHugo, tu veux goûter la meringue ?Hugo, do you want to taste the meringue?
- HugoOui, elle a l'air délicieuse.Yes, it looks delicious.
- EmmaElle est parfaite, n'est-ce pas ?It is perfect, isn't it?
- HugoAbsolument, Emma, c'est excellent.Absolutely, Emma, it is excellent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meringue” translations and entries meringue, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries meringue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
