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Glite Dictionary
oysters Rockefeller

oysters Rockefeller

2 6.8
Shellfish are served in their shells with butter, spinach, and breadcrumbs, then baked or broiled
  • noun
  • /ˈɔɪstərz ˌrɒkəˈfɛlər/
  • US
: ostras Rockefeller
  • The menu featured oysters Rockefeller, a classic dish that combines rich flavors and fresh seafood.

Examples

  • Oysters Rockefeller and prime rib.

    The Rookie (1990)

  • Oysters Rockefeller.

    Welcome to the Jungle (2007)

  • Oysters Rockefeller and a lovely Pouilly Fuisee, pour plasir.

    Basquiat (1996)

  • Guests can order oysters Rockefeller, mussels in wine sauce, clams baked in butter, battered calamari, and plenty of other seafood favorites.

    Blog text (19)

  • At the restaurant, I ordered oysters Rockefeller for my appetizer, and it was delicious.

  • "Those were the best oysters Rockefeller I have ever tried," she said with a satisfied smile.

Surface Forms

oysters Rockefeller singular
oysters Rockefellers plural

Morphology

oyster + Rockefeller

The word 'oyster' makes it clear to a learner that the expression refers to a dish involving oysters, so part of the meaning is immediately inferable. However, 'Rockefeller' is an eponymic proper name that supplies no information about the specific preparation (butter/spinach/breadcrumb topping and baking), so the full culinary sense is not predictable from the constituents.

Etymology

The dish oysters Rockefeller was created in New Orleans, and one popular story says the chef made a very rich green sauce and named the dish after John D. Rockefeller, the richest man of the time. That's why the name points to 'rich' food and now means oysters served on the half shell topped with a rich, buttery mixture.