poireau

leek

noun pwah-ROH Rare

Usage Note

Poireau is a staple of French cuisine, used in vichyssoise, poireaux vinaigrette, and pot-au-feu. The plural follows the -eau → -eaux rule: poireaux. Colloquially, faire le poireau means 'to be left waiting' (literally 'to stand there like a leek').

Examples

"Elle coupe les poireaux pour la soupe."

Natural Translation

She cuts the leeks for the soup.

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