omelette

 
Pronunciation: /ˈɒmlɪt/
(US also omelet)

noun

  • a dish of beaten eggs cooked in a frying pan and served plain or with a savoury or sweet topping or filling: a cheese omelette

Phrases

one can't make an omelette without breaking eggs

proverb one cannot accomplish something without adverse effects elsewhere.
[translating French On ne saurait faire une omelette sans casser des oeufs]

Origin:

French, earlier amelette (alteration of alumette), variant of alumelle, from lemele 'knife blade', from Latin lamella (see lamella). The association with 'knife blade' is probably because of the thin flat shape of an omelette

Spelling help

Remember that omelette is spelled with an e after the m and the ending is -ette; it is a French word.