charcuterie
Charcuterie (noun) means Cured, smoked or preserved meats served cold — salami, prosciutto, pâté, terrines, sausages and similar — usually presented sliced on a board with bread, cheese and pickles. Example: “We ordered a plate of charcuterie to share before the main course.”
How to use charcuterie
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCold cured meats like salami and ham, usually served on a board.
Neutral but slightly upmarket; it signals a restaurant or deli context rather than a supermarket packet of ham.
Charcuterie is uncountable — order some charcuterie or a charcuterie board, never two charcuteries.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We ordered a plate of _____ to share before the main course.
Etymology
From French charcuterie, from chair cuite 'cooked flesh', originally the trade of the pork butcher.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for charcuterie
See all rhymes for charcuterie →Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce charcuterie?
Roughly shar-KOO-tuh-ree, with the French sh at the start and the final syllable light. The middle syllable carries the stress, and the R at the end is barely sounded in English.
What is the difference between a charcuterie board and a cheese board?
Strictly, charcuterie means the meat, so a charcuterie board is built around cured meats with cheese, bread and pickles as accompaniments. A cheese board is the reverse. In everyday use the two have blurred, and charcuterie board is now often applied to any grazing board.
Is charcuterie always pork?
Traditionally yes — the French trade was specifically the pork butcher's — but the word now covers cured duck, beef bresaola, game terrines and more. Pork still dominates most boards.
What is the meaning of charcuterie?
"charcuterie" (noun) means cured, smoked or preserved meats served cold — salami, prosciutto, pâté, terrines, sausages and similar — usually presented sliced on a board with bread, cheese and pickles.