Welsh rarebit

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.2.1 Usage notes 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Usage notes 1.3.2 Synonyms 1.3.3 References

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

Corruption of Welsh rabbit.

First attested by Francis Grose in A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue in 1785; he erroneously marked Welsh rabbit as a corruption (inverting the historical order); this idea may have originated with him, or been widespread at the time.^[1]

[edit] Pronunciation

Either identically to rabbit, or as rare-bit.

[edit] Usage notes

Some insist that it be pronounced identically to rabbit, as the spelling is a corruption, while others insist that it be pronounced as rare-bit specifically to differentiate it from actual rabbit meat.

[edit] Noun

Welsh rarebit (plural Welsh rarebits)

Wikipedia

1. a dish of cheese melted with a little ale and served on toast

[edit] Usage notes

Some object to the use of the term “Welsh rarebit” as a foolish error, and prefer Welsh rabbit.^[2]

[edit] Synonyms

• rarebit
• Welsh rabbit

[edit] References

• Notes:

1. ^ "When Francis Grose defined Welsh rabbit in A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue in 1785, he mistakenly indicated that rabbit was a corruption of rarebit. It is not certain that this erroneous idea originated with Grose....", Dictionary of English Usage, p. 592
2. ^ "Welsh Rabbit is amusing and right. Welsh Rarebit is stupid and wrong.", Fowler, H. W., A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, Oxford University Press, 1926