Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Squid prepared as food.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun squid as food, especially cooked in the form of calamari rings
  • noun squid, the mollusk, in general

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (Italian cuisine) squid prepared as food

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Italian, pl. of calamaro, from Late Latin calamārium, pen-case, from Latin calamārius, relating to a reed pen, from calamus, reed pen (perhaps from the “ink” the squid secretes); see calamus.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Italian plural of calamaro, from Latin calamarius, from calamus, Ancient Greek κάλαμος (kálamos, "reed, ink pen").

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Examples

  • Again, it made me nervous, because basically, spicy calamari is Korean oh-jing-uh bokkeum, a tasty tangle of squid, vegetables, and ever so sweetened super spicy ggoh-choo-jahng sauce.

    Zero, Zilch for Zip Fusion, West LA 2005

  • Calamari, $2,95, had a great crunch but the calamari was a bit chewy and not fresh.

    Daily Grill Unitas We Stand 2008

  • But overall the calamari is a very good appetizer.

    Archive 2008-08-01 Unitas We Stand 2008

  • Calamari, $2,95, had a great crunch but the calamari was a bit chewy and not fresh.

    Archive 2008-07-01 Unitas We Stand 2008

  • But overall the calamari is a very good appetizer.

    Roman Cucina-Sunset Beach Unitas We Stand 2008

  • The calamari was a hit (marinated in garlic and lemon, tossed with continental flour and dried oregano and fried very, very quickly in very hot oil) as were the lamb kebabs (marinated in garlic, oil and lemon juice, skewered with alternate onion, red and green bell pepper sections), bratwursts and fresh turkish and lebanese breads with eggplant, spinach and chickpea dips.

    Archive 2004-11-01 2004

  • The calamari was a hit (marinated in garlic and lemon, tossed with continental flour and dried oregano and fried very, very quickly in very hot oil) as were the lamb kebabs (marinated in garlic, oil and lemon juice, skewered with alternate onion, red and green bell pepper sections), bratwursts and fresh turkish and lebanese breads with eggplant, spinach and chickpea dips.

    What I cooked last night. 2004

  • The calamari was a little flabby, the lemon zest a little too prominent, and the sauce a little less subtle.

    SFGate: Don Asmussen: Bad Reporter Michael Bauer 2011

  • Munch on "rabas" (squid tentacles, aka calamari) or "cazon en adobo" (salty, marinated dogfish).

    chicagotribune.com - 2010

  • Ubiquitous as the deep fried squid, aka calamari is, you would think it would start to make that transition into our home kitchens, yet there are so many, who, like myself, think it something best to leave to the professionals.

    thecookscottage 2009

Comments

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  • Once spelled "calarmi" on a restaurant bill handed me in a little coastal town in Florida. I've said it that way ever since, just to laugh, and to laugh again.

    September 24, 2009

  • One of the longest words made up of U.S. state postal abbreviations.

    November 11, 2010