ratatouille

noun

ra·​ta·​tou·​ille ˌra-ˌta-ˈtü-ē How to pronounce ratatouille (audio) -ˈtwē How to pronounce ratatouille (audio)
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.
Tempura-ed squash blossoms disclosing caches of ratatouille? Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026 Bar Daniel, located on the second floor, offers a quieter, moodier setting with light bites such as cheese boards, ratatouille toast, and chickpea fries. Susmita Baral, Travel + Leisure, 10 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 The Mizuna menu features a brie tartlet, chawanmushi, pasta with truffle cream and then your choice of steak frites, Chilean salmon, or ratatouille. Libby Smith, CBS News, 6 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

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Cite this Entry

“Ratatouille.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ratatouille. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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