calamari

noun

cal·a·mari ˌkä-lə-ˈmär-ē

ˈka-lə-ˌmer-ē

: squid used as food

Did you know?

The word calamari was borrowed into English from 17th-century Italian, where it functioned as the plural of "calamaro" or "calamaio." The Italian word, in turn, comes from the Medieval Latin noun calamarium, meaning "ink pot or "pen case," and can be ultimately traced back to Latin calamus, meaning "reed pen." The transition from pens and ink to squid is not surprising, given the inky substance that a squid ejects and the long tapered shape of the squid's body. English speakers have also adopted "calamus" itself as a word referring to both a reed pen and to a number of plants.

Examples of calamari in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Egg Shop restaurateur Sarah Schneider, owner of Gus and Marty’s, says a staff member walked her through how to grill calamari. —

Maria Yagoda, Curbed, 19 Dec. 2024 The plancha-style calamari (cut in the shape of a flower) and the vegetarian paella were both delicately seasoned and beautifully arranged. —

George Varga, Twin Cities, 21 May 2024 The calamari came out quickly, and had a light, airy breading, almost like a hybrid of cornmeal and tempura. —

Kaitlyn Rosati, New York Daily News, 20 Nov. 2024 Tender calamari cooked on the plancha griddle ($18) take on welcome flavors from a salad of arugula and cherry tomatoes. —

John Mariani, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for calamari