julienne
UK[ˌʒuː.liˈen]US[ˌʒuː.liˈen]
n
a portion of food cut into short, thin strips
v
to cut food into short, thin strips
Etymology
the term 'julienne' entered english in the 18th century from the french phrase 'à la julienne', meaning 'in the julienne style'. its ultimate origin is the french given name 'julien' (julius), though the precise reason for this culinary association remains obscure. one popular theory suggests it was named after a french chef named julien, while another links it to the french word for july ('juillet'), perhaps indicating a soup made with summer vegetables. regardless of its specific namesake, the term has become standardized in professional kitchens to describe the specific technique of cutting vegetables into fine, matchstick-sized strips.
Analysis
the word is a loanword adopted as a single unit from french. it is not productively segmented using english morphemes.
Examples
the recipe calls for a julienne of carrots and bell peppers for the salad.
you should julienne the zucchini before sautéing it.
the garnish of red pepper julienne added both color and crunch to the dish.