Truffle

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈtɹʌf.l̩/

Definitions

1. A flavorful subterranean fungus that forms partnerships with tree roots
2. A rare and aromatic fungus found growing beneath the soil, often used in gourmet cooking ; a rich chocolate sweet shaped into small rounds or irregular balls
3. An underground fungi prized for its distinctive, strong aroma and culinary value ; a decadent chocolate dessert often coated with cocoa powder or nuts

Etymology: The fungus takes its name from a Latin word for a swelling. Latin "tūber" meant a lump or bulge, and the same root gave English "tuber," the swollen underground part of a plant such as a potato. Late Latin speakers used a plural form, "tufera," for these buried fungi, and it was altered by metathesis (swapping sounds within the word) into Old Occitan "trufa," the form that passed into French as "truffe." English borrowed the word from French in the 1600s and 1700s, which is when it became common across much of Europe; German, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish all took their versions from the same French source. The fungus's underground growth explains the image in the Latin root: a knobbly lump hidden beneath the soil. Only later did the word extend to the chocolate sweet, which was named for the resemblance of its rough, dusted surface to the fungus.

Synonyms: fungus, mushroom, delicacy, tuber