cutlet
UK[ˈkʌtlɪt]US[ˈkʌtlɪt]
n
A thin slice of meat, especially veal or pork, usually coated in breadcrumbs and fried.
n
A flat cake of chopped food, such as nuts or vegetables, prepared in a similar way.
Etymology
The word 'cutlet' entered English in the early 18th century from the French 'côtelette', which itself is a diminutive form of 'côte', meaning 'rib'. The French term traces back to the Old French 'coste', derived from the Latin 'costa', signifying 'rib' or 'side'. The semantic journey is direct: from the Latin for 'rib', to a small rib or cut of meat containing a rib, to its modern culinary meaning of a small, boneless slice of meat, often prepared by breading and frying. This evolution reflects a specialization in butchery and cooking terminology, where the original association with the rib bone was eventually lost in the common preparation method.
Analysis
The word 'cutlet' is a loanword from French, borrowed as a single lexical unit. Its spelling and form were adopted into English without segmenting it into productive English morphemes.
Examples
She ordered a veal cutlet with a side of mashed potatoes.
For a vegetarian option, the chef prepares a delicious lentil cutlet.
The recipe calls for pounding the chicken breast thin to make a perfect cutlet.