ratatouille

noun

ra·ta·tou·ille ˌra-ˌta-ˈtü-ē -ˈtwē

ˌrä-ˌtä-

: a seasoned stew made of eggplant, tomatoes, green peppers, squash, and sometimes meat

Examples of ratatouille in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

There are, of course, classic French recipes such as bread and onion soup, pork roast with ratatouille, as well as flan and crème au chocolat. — Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Dec. 2025 Tempura-ed squash blossoms disclosing caches of ratatouille? — Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026 Chicken with rice and vegetables, ratatouille and pan-seared salmon are pregnancy-safe meals everyone will enjoy. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026 Anton Ego takes one bite of Remy’s ratatouille and is instantly transported to his childhood. — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ratatouille

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "dish of chopped food, stew" (18th century), noun derivative crossing ratouiller "to agitate (water), stir, shake" and tatouiller "to shake, beat, handle excessively," both expressive forms of touiller "to stir," going back to Old French tooillier "to agitate, stir up, soil" — more at toil entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of ratatouille was circa 1877

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

rat-a-tat

ratatouille

ratbag

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Ratatouille.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratatouille. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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ratatouille

noun

Examples of ratatouille in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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