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The word calamari was borrowed into English from 17th-century Italian, where it functioned as the plural of "calamaro" or "calamaio." The Italian word, in turn, comes from the Medieval Latin noun calamarium, meaning "ink pot or "pen case," and can be ultimately traced back to Latin calamus, meaning "reed pen." The transition from pens and ink to squid is not surprising, given the inky substance that a squid ejects and the long tapered shape of the squid's body. English speakers have also adopted "calamus" itself as a word referring to both a reed pen and to a number of plants.
Examples of calamari in a Sentence
Shivani Vora, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
The fried calamari was not overly breaded and paired perfectly with the aioli made with sage, red pepper marmalade and lemon.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 2 Jan. 2025
Egg Shop restaurateur Sarah Schneider, owner of Gus and Marty’s, says a staff member walked her through how to grill calamari.
—Maria Yagoda, Curbed, 19 Dec. 2024
The plancha-style calamari (cut in the shape of a flower) and the vegetarian paella were both delicately seasoned and beautifully arranged.
—George Varga, Twin Cities, 21 May 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Calamari.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calamari. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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calamari
noun
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