Added 10 October 2026
margarine
/ˌmɑː.d͡ʒəˈɹiːn/ noun
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about margarine at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A spread, manufactured from a blend of vegetable oils (some of which are hydrogenated), emulsifiers etc, mostly used as a substitute for butter.
- The solid ingredient of human fat, olive oil, etc.
verb
Origin
Borrowed from French margarine, from acide margarique (“margaric acid”), from Ancient Greek μάργαρον (márgaron, “pearl”), in allusion to its pearly lustre, with the suffix -ine, influenced by glycérine (“glycerine”). French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul named margaric acid after its pearl-like crystallization.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)