madeleine

noun

mad·​e·​leine ˈma-də-lən  ˌma-də-ˈlān 

1

: a small rich shell-shaped cake

2

: one that evokes a memory

Did you know?

The Madeleine Goes Back to France

The madeleine is said to have been named after a 19th-century French cook named Madeleine Paumier, but it was the French author Marcel Proust who immortalized the pastry in his 1913 book Swann's Way, the first volume of his seven-part novel Remembrance of Things Past. In that work, a taste of tea-soaked cake evokes a surge of memory and nostalgia. As more and more readers chewed on the profound mnemonic power attributed to a mere morsel of cake, the word madeleine itself became a designation for anything that evokes a memory.

Examples of madeleine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With a breakfast buffet that includes chocolate croissants, madeleines, and Nutella, and a lobby closet filled with costumes and games, the 40-room Hôtel Léopold is ideal for families. —Lauren Matison, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2024

The unassuming madeleines embody Xiao Ye’s eclectic, expansive ethos: delicate French pastries baked with mochi rice flour and masa, dusted in jalapeño powder. —The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 21 Oct. 2024

Watching an actor light up over one of my homemade apricot madeleines used to feel like my small way of making the industry a better place. —Remy Blumenfeld, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

If your own personal Proust's madeleine happens to involve beer, barstools, and everything else found at last call at your favorite watering hole, there's now a cologne for that. —Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, perhaps from Madeleine Paumier, 19th century French pastry cook

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!