Ortolan
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /ˈɔː.təl.ən/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Ortolan is a noun meaning A small European migratory bunting (Emberiza hortulana), once eaten whole as a delicacy.
Meaning
A small European migratory bunting (Emberiza hortulana), once eaten whole as a delicacy.
More Meanings
- (US) Any of various similar birds, especially the bobolink, sora, or snow bunting.
- The greater short-toed lark (Calandrella brachydactyla).
Example Sentences
[…]this taught him to consider Sophia as a most delicious morsel, indeed to regard her with the same desires which an ortolan inspires into the soul of an epicure.
[…]the last flavor Mitterrand wished to savor belonged to the flesh of the endangered ortolan, a songbird the size of a human toe that is a crime to buy or hunt, and is certainly illegal to eat. Mitterrand devoured it in the traditional manner, first covering his head with an embroidered cloth, then inserting the entire bird into his mouth.[…]Only its head should dangle out from between your lips. Bite off the head and discard.
Word Forms
- ortolans
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include bobolink, sora, ouzel, ullet, butterbump, ring-ousel.
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Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.