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truf·fle

(trŭfəl)

1. Any of various edible, fleshy, irregularly rounded ascomycetous fungi, chiefly of the genus Tuber, that grow underground on or near the roots of trees and are valued as a delicacy.

2. Any of various round candies made of chocolate, butter or cream, sugar, and various flavorings, often coated with cocoa powder.

[Alteration of French trufe, from Old French, from Old Provençal trufa, from Vulgar Latin *tūfera, truffles, from dialectal variant of Latin tūber, lump; see teuə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

truffled adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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