Meaning & use
magrets
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“magrets” is a form of “magret”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounusually plural
The breast meat of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened to produce foie gras.
Grammar: Most often plural: order two magrets. The singular magret appears when talking about one piece or the meat in general.
Patterns
- a magret of duck
- grilled magrets
- magrets de canard
The restaurant is known for its grilled magrets served with a cherry sauce.
He sliced the magret thinly and arranged the pieces over a bed of greens.
Magrets from this region are prized because the birds are fed corn.
nouncountable
A dish or menu item made from this cut, typically cooked rare like a steak.
Grammar: Countable when it means a portion or a dish on a menu: two magrets, please.
Patterns
- order a magret
- a magret with something
For the main course I ordered a magret with roasted potatoes.
The chef cooks the magret skin-side down until the fat turns crisp.
Word forms
| singular | magret |
|---|
Common combinations
- magret de canard
- Magret de canard is a classic dish on bistro menus in southwestern France.
- smoked magret
- Thin slices of smoked magret make an elegant starter.
- grilled magret
- The grilled magret came with a red wine reduction.
- slice the magret
- Slice the magret across the grain so it stays tender.
- cook a magret
- Cook the magret quickly over high heat so the inside stays pink.
Synonyms and how they differ
- duck breast
- The everyday English term; use it when your reader may not know the French word.
- breast
- The general word for this cut in any bird; magret specifically means a fattened duck or goose breast used for foie gras.
Word family
- foie gras noun
- The fattened liver of the same kind of duck or goose; magret is the breast from such a bird.
Commonly confused: magrets or magnet? magrets or magrette?
magrets vs magnet
Magnet is the common word for a piece of metal that attracts iron; magret is a French food term, and the two sound similar but are unrelated.
magrets vs magrette
Magrette is not a standard English word; if you see it, it is probably a misspelling of magret.
Practice
Which sentence uses the food term correctly?
Choose one answer.
Magrets are duck or goose breasts served as food, so ordering them cooked pink fits. The other options describe a magnet, a different word that only sounds similar.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “magrets”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.