cioppino: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareSpecialist/Regional/Culinary
Quick answer
What does “cioppino” mean?
A hearty seafood stew of Italian-American origin, typically containing fish, shellfish, and tomatoes.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A hearty seafood stew of Italian-American origin, typically containing fish, shellfish, and tomatoes.
A San Francisco-style seafood stew, often featuring Dungeness crab and other local seafood, served with sourdough bread.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Virtually unknown in general UK English. It is a highly specific American culinary term, strongly associated with San Francisco cuisine.
Connotations
US: Connotes California cuisine, Italian-American heritage, abundance, festivity. UK: No established connotations.
Frequency
Extremely rare in the UK. Low frequency even in the US, except in culinary contexts, coastal California menus, and food writing.
Grammar
How to Use “cioppino” in a Sentence
[Noun: determiner] ordered the/a [cioppino]The [cioppino] was [adjective: delicious][Verb: To serve] [cioppino] with [noun: bread]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Might appear in culinary history, food studies, or cultural anthropology texts.
Everyday
Only used when discussing specific cuisine, ordering at certain restaurants, or sharing recipes.
Technical
Used as a specific term in gastronomy and professional cooking.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cioppino”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cioppino”
- Misspelling: 'cioppino', 'chippino', 'ciopino'.
- Mispronunciation: /saɪˈɒpɪnoʊ/ or /sɪˈɒpɪnoʊ/.
- Using it to refer to any soup or non-seafood stew.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no single main ingredient; it's a stew featuring a variety of seafood like crab, clams, mussels, shrimp, and firm white fish.
It originated in San Francisco in the late 19th or early 20th century among Italian immigrant fishermen, particularly from Genoa.
Cioppino is Italian-American, tomato-based, and often includes crab. Bouillabaisse is French Provençal, uses saffron and fennel, and has stricter traditional rules.
Yes, it is traditionally served with crusty sourdough bread, often used for dipping into the broth.
A hearty seafood stew of Italian-American origin, typically containing fish, shellfish, and tomatoes.
Cioppino is usually specialist/regional/culinary in register.
Cioppino: in British English it is pronounced /tʃəˈpiːnəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /tʃəˈpiːnoʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'CHeezy-Pepper-NOodle soup'? No! It's 'CHO-PEE-NO' – a seafood stew from San Francisco, so think: 'CHOose San Fran's seafood, PEEl some crab, NOodles not included.'
Conceptual Metaphor
FOOD IS CULTURAL HERITAGE (specifically Italian immigrant culture in California).
Practice
Quiz
Cioppino is most specifically associated with which cuisine?