Rollmops

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of pickled herring prepared by rolling the fish around a filling, often consisting of vegetables or spices
2. A traditional dish, typically served as an appetizer, known for its tangy flavor and distinctive presentation
3. Originating from German cuisine, this delicacy combines fish and garnishes for a unique culinary experience

Etymology: "Rollmops" is the plural form, and the singular "rollmop" was back-formed from it, so the word's history begins in German. In German, "Rollmops" names the pickled herring fillet rolled up around a filling, usually onion, gherkin, or spices, and secured with a wooden pin or toothpick. The first element, "Rollen," means "to roll," and the second, "Mops," is a word more usually meaning a pug dog, which is why the dish is sometimes jokingly linked to the way the rolled fish looks like a squat, wrinkled little dog. Because the German word ends in "-s" and is used as a single item, English speakers took it for a plural and created a new singular, "rollmop," by dropping that ending. This is a back-formation, a process that runs in the opposite direction from the usual one of adding a suffix to make a plural.