western omelet
1
2.2
- noun
- /ˈwɛstərn ˈɑːmlɪt/
- US
:
omelet del oeste
- Pepper said, "I'll have water and a western omelet."
Examples
-
"All right," she announced as she picked the plates off the tray and placed them on the table, "a western omelette with a side order of bacon, two scrambled eggs with sausage, a glass of orange juice, and a glass of tomato juice."
Fiction book (1999) -
Garrett requested a western omelet, no fries or toast, and a large glass of milk.
Fiction book (1999) -
"This is not a mess, it's my special Western omelet.
Fiction book (1992) -
"It just seems to have a Western omelet on top of it.
Blog text (8) -
Garrett requested a western omelet, no fries or toast, and a large glass of milk.
-
We went for breakfast and had a huge western omelet with red peppers and onions, and a pecan waffle that was light and sweet.
Surface Forms
Morphology
A learner who knows 'omelet' and 'western' will transparently infer that this is a type or style of omelet (i.e., an omelet associated with a 'western' style). However, the conventionalized set of fillings (diced ham, peppers, onions) is lexicalized and not predictable from the constituents alone, so full meaning (the specific recipe) requires exposure.
Etymology
The noun western omelet may come from a simple picture: in the old American West, cowboys and miners made a quick egg dish with leftover ham, chopped peppers, and onions. Because this filling was common in the 'west', the name stuck, and today western omelet means an omelet made with those ingredients.