noun Common

Wellington

WEH-lihng-tuhn

Wellington (noun) means a dish of meat, often beef or salmon, wrapped in pastry and baked, named after the Duke of Wellington. Example: “The chef served a perfectly pink beef wellington sliced tableside.”

noun

A dish of meat, often beef or salmon, wrapped in pastry and baked, named after the Duke of Wellington.

"The chef served a perfectly pink beef wellington sliced tableside."

"For something lighter, try a salmon wellington wrapped in puff pastry."

In the card game nap, a high-stakes bid where the winner takes four times the stake, or loses double if they fail.

"He risked calling a wellington, knowing he'd either clean up or lose big."

How to use Wellington

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost commonly known today as "beef wellington" — meat baked inside pastry.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the dish with "wellingtons" (wellies), the rubber rain boots, which share the same namesake but are a completely different thing.

Easily confused with

wellingtons

Common pairings

beef wellington salmon wellington

Word forms

Wellingtons plural, Wellingtons plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The chef served a perfectly pink beef _____ sliced tableside.

Etymology

Named after Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington, whose name was also given to the tall leather boot and, later, to this pastry-wrapped dish.

Synonyms

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hessian jackboot

Related words

hessian jackboot

Rhymes for Wellington

Lexington Arlington Remington Eddington Ellington Washington Darlington Huntington Kensington Harrington Carrington Paddington

See all rhymes for Wellington →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Wellington” mean?

The word “Wellington” means a dish of meat, often beef or salmon, wrapped in pastry and baked, named after the Duke of Wellington. In plain terms, most commonly known today as "beef wellington" — meat baked inside pastry.

How do you pronounce “Wellington”?

“Wellington” is pronounced WEH-lihng-tuhn (/ˈwɛlɪŋtən/ in IPA).

How do you use “Wellington” in a sentence?

Here is “Wellington” used in a sentence: “The chef served a perfectly pink beef wellington sliced tableside.”

What part of speech is “Wellington”?

“Wellington” is a noun.

Is “Wellington” a common word?

“Wellington” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Wellington” have?

“Wellington” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a dish of meat, often beef or salmon, wrapped in pastry and baked, named after the Duke of Wellington.

Why is beef Wellington called that?

The dish, consisting of meat wrapped in pastry and baked, is named after the Duke of Wellington, though the dictionary definition does not specify the exact origin story behind the naming.

What does Wellington mean in the card game nap?

In the card game nap, a Wellington is a high-stakes bid where the winner takes four times the stake, but loses double that amount if the bid fails, making it a riskier bid than standard calls.

Is beef Wellington always made with beef?

No, while beef is traditional, Wellington can also refer to other meats such as salmon wrapped in pastry and baked, following the same basic preparation method.

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