Is marjolaine the same as marjoram?

No. While the word shares an etymology with the herb marjoram, in modern English 'marjolaine' almost exclusively refers to a specific French cake.

How do you pronounce marjolaine?

In British English, it is pronounced /ˌmɑːʒəˈleɪn/. In American English, it is /ˌmɑːrʒəˈleɪn/. The 'j' is pronounced like the 's' in 'pleasure'.

In what contexts would I encounter the word marjolaine?

Almost solely in contexts related to French cuisine, high-end baking, patisserie menus, or culinary blogs and books.

Can marjolaine be used as a verb or adjective?

No, in standard English usage, 'marjolaine' is solely a noun referring to the cake.

Is “marjolaine” formal?

Marjolaine is usually formal/culinary in register.

marjolaine: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Low

UK/ˌmɑːʒəˈleɪn/US/ˌmɑːrʒəˈleɪn/

Formal/Culinary

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “marjolaine” mean?

A sweet French cake made of almond and hazelnut meringue layers with buttercream.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

A sweet French cake made of almond and hazelnut meringue layers with buttercream.

Primarily refers to the specific dessert; secondarily, the name is derived from the French word for the herb marjoram.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

The word is equally rare in both varieties but is slightly more likely to be encountered in British English due to greater French culinary influence.

Connotations

Connotes sophistication, French patisserie, and high-end baking.

Frequency

Extremely low frequency in general English; confined to specific culinary contexts.

Grammar

How to Use “marjolaine” in a Sentence

[determiner] + marjolaine[adjective] + marjolaine

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

slice of marjolainemarjolaine cake

medium

French marjolainehazelnut marjolaine

weak

bake a marjolainerecipe for marjolaine

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Unlikely, except in the context of a bakery or restaurant menu.

Academic

Rare, potentially in culinary history or food science papers.

Everyday

Virtually never used in everyday conversation outside specific foodie circles.

Technical

Used precisely in professional baking and patisserie.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “marjolaine”

Neutral

French cakemeringue cake

Weak

dessert gateau

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “marjolaine”

savoury dishmain course

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “marjolaine”

Misspelling as 'majorlaine' or 'marjoline'.
Using it to refer to the herb in modern English contexts.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No. While the word shares an etymology with the herb marjoram, in modern English 'marjolaine' almost exclusively refers to a specific French cake.
: In British English, it is pronounced /ˌmɑːʒəˈleɪn/. In American English, it is /ˌmɑːrʒəˈleɪn/. The 'j' is pronounced like the 's' in 'pleasure'.
: Almost solely in contexts related to French cuisine, high-end baking, patisserie menus, or culinary blogs and books.
: No, in standard English usage, 'marjolaine' is solely a noun referring to the cake.
: A sweet French cake made of almond and hazelnut meringue layers with buttercream.
: Marjolaine is usually formal/culinary in register.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Imagine a majestic, layered cake being served on a "marble" platter with a "rain" of icing sugar – Marjolaine.

Conceptual Metaphor

LUXURY IS FRENCH CULINARY ART

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

The final challenge in the baking competition was to create a perfect , a classic French meringue cake.

Multiple Choice

What is a 'marjolaine' primarily known as in English?