Bouillabaisse
/ˌbuː.jəˈbeɪs/noun
A Provençal fish stew made with several kinds of fish, shellfish, vegetables, and herbs.
Did you know?Bouillabaisse is traditionally linked to the Marseille fishing world, and its name preserves a practical kitchen instruction rather than a poetic one—proof that everyday words can hide ritual-like origins.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰel-
“to swell, bubble, or blow”
Latin
Latin
bullīre
“to boil”
Old Occitan / Provençal
Occitan
bolhir + abaissar
“to boil + to lower, reduce the heat”
18th Century
French
bouille-baisse
“a fish stew prepared by boiling and then lowering the heat”
Modern English
English
bouillabaisse
“a Provençal fish stew”