truffle

[truhf-uhl, troo-fuhl]

noun

1. any of several subterranean, edible, ascomycetous fungi of the genus Tuber.

2. any of various similar fungi of other genera.

3. a candy made of soft chocolate, shaped into a ball and dusted with cocoa, or sometimes a three-layered cube of light and dark chocolate.

truffle

/ ˈtrʌfəl /

noun

1. Also called: earthnut. any of various edible saprotrophic ascomycetous subterranean fungi of the European genus Tuber . They have a tuberous appearance and are regarded as a delicacy

2. Also called: rum truffle. a sweet resembling this fungus in shape, flavoured with chocolate or rum

Other Word Forms

• truffled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of truffle¹

First recorded in 1585–95; from Dutch truffel(e), from Middle French truffle, truffe, from Old Provençal trufa, from Late Latin tūfer (unrecorded), tūfera, probably from an Osco-Umbrian cognate of Latin tūber tuber ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of truffle¹

C16: from French truffe , from Old Provençal trufa , ultimately from Latin tūber

Example Sentences

And like the rest of modern Hong Kong, that menu met the decades with growing diversity, culminating in choices from fast food burgers and tapas to black truffle potstickers and wagyu beef sliders.

From Salon

After arriving in Nice, France, they drove two hours in darkness to catch the sunrise in the town of Valensole, known for its lavender and truffles.

From Los Angeles Times

My favorite dishes are the truffle sashimi, the mushroom pasta with shrimp added and their baked crab hand rolls.

From Los Angeles Times

Indeed, DMS, provided by nature at just the right dosage, is a component in the much coveted scent of truffles.

From Salon

Presented in a tray lined with greenery, it was designed to resemble mushrooms growing from the forest floor, with pomme purée, black truffle, potato “soil,” and pickled hon-shimeji.

From Salon