ris

sweetbread

noun REE Rare

Also means

reef (sailing)

Usage Note

Ris has two quite distinct meanings: in cookery, ris de veau (calf's sweetbread — the thymus gland) is a classic French delicacy; in sailing, ris refers to a reef in a sail, used to reduce the sail area in strong wind. The word is always spelled with a final silent 's'. These senses are entirely separate in usage.

Examples

"Le chef prépare des ris de veau à la crème."

Natural Translation

The chef is preparing veal sweetbreads in cream sauce.

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