bêche-de-mer

[ besh-duh-mair, beysh- ]

noun,plural bêch·es-de-mer, (especially collectively) bêche-de-mer for 1.
  1. a trepang.

  2. Often Bêche-de-Mer. Neo-Melanesian.

Origin of bêche-de-mer

1
1805–15; erroneously for French biche de mer<Portuguese bicho do mar literally, animal of the sea; cf. Beach-la-Mar

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British Dictionary definitions for bêche-de-mer

bêche-de-mer

/ (ˌbɛʃdəˈmɛə) /


nounplural bêches-de-mer (ˌbɛʃdəˈmɛə) or bêche-de-mer
  1. another name for trepang

Origin of bêche-de-mer

1
C19: quasi-French, from earlier English biche de mer, from Portuguese bicho do mar worm of the sea

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