different between meringue vs merengue

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French meringue. Historically, it was believed that meringue was invented in and named for the Swiss village of Meiringen, but the term is now thought to derive instead from Middle Dutch meringue (“light evening meal”), of unclear origin:

• perhaps from Latin merenda (“light evening meal”), or
• perhaps from Middle Dutch *meren (“to dip or soak bread”), from Old Dutch *meren, itself of unclear origin:
  • perhaps from Proto-Germanic *marjan? (“to grind, pound”), from Proto-Indo-European *mer- (“to rub, pack”).
  • perhaps from Proto-Germanic *marhin (“soup of bread and wine or water”), from Proto-Indo-European *mark-, *merk- (“wet”).

Compare Middle Low German meringe (from mern (“to dip bread in wine”)), Middle High German merunge (from mëren (“to soak bread in wine or water for dinner”)), Old English merian (“to purify, cleanse, test”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: m?-r?ng', IPA^(key): /m???æ?/
• Rhymes: -æ?

Noun

meringue (countable and uncountable, plural meringues)

1. A mixture consisting of beaten egg whites and sugar which is added to the tops of pies then browned.

   The key to a good baked Alaska is the meringue topping.

2. A shell made of this mixture which serves as the receptacle for fruit, ice cream or sherbet.

   Shirley likes to have strawberry with her meringue.

Derived terms

• French meringue
• Italian meringue
• lemon meringue pie
• Swiss meringue

Translations

See also

• stiff peaks

References

French

Etymology

From Dutch meringue, itself from Latin or Proto-Germanic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m?.????/
• Homophones: meringuent, meringues

Noun

meringue f (plural meringues)

1. meringue

Verb

meringue

1. first-person singular present indicative of meringuer
2. third-person singular present indicative of meringuer
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of meringuer
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of meringuer
5. second-person singular imperative of meringuer

English

Etymology

From American Spanish merengue, from French meringue. Doublet of meringue.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m??????e?/

Noun

merengue (countable and uncountable, plural merengues)

1. (music, uncountable) A type of music common in the Caribbean, originally associated with the Dominican Republic.
2. A song performed in this style.
3. A dance to this style of music.

Verb

merengue (third-person singular simple present merengues, present participle merenguing, simple past and past participle merengued)

1. (intransitive) To dance to merengue music.

French

Etymology

From Spanish merengue, itself borrowed from French meringue.

Noun

merengue m (plural merengues)

1. (music) merengue

Spanish

Etymology

From French meringue.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /me??en?e/, [me????.?e]

Noun

merengue m (plural merengues)

1. merengue (a type of music common in the Caribbean)
2. meringue
3. wuss; wimp

Noun

merengue m or f (plural merengues)

1. (soccer) a person connected with Real Madrid, as a player, fan, coach, etc.

Derived terms

• merenguero

Descendants

• ? English: merengue
• ? French: merengue

Further reading

• “merengue” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.