# benedict

/ˈbɛnəˌdɪkt/ (US) · /bˈɛnɪdˌɪkt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/benedict
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. egg dish

noun · CEFR B2

a breakfast dish made of poached eggs, ham, and a creamy yellow sauce on bread.

For teachers: a culinary preparation consisting of poached eggs and Canadian bacon or ham on an English muffin, topped with hollandaise sauce.

- We went out for brunch and I ordered the eggs benedict with extra sauce.
- The chef's signature benedict featured artisanal sourdough and a perfectly emulsified hollandaise that elevated the traditional brunch staple.

### 2. newly married man

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

a man who has recently married, especially if he was single for a long time.

For teachers: a newly married man, particularly one who was previously considered a confirmed bachelor.

- After ten years of saying he would never marry, he is finally a benedict.
- The toast was raised to the new benedict, whose sudden departure from the bachelor life surprised his closest associates.

Usage: Usually written with a lowercase 'b' in this sense, though derived from a Shakespearean character.

### 3. to prepare eggs

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical · Informal

to cook eggs in the 'benedict' style with sauce and ham.

For teachers: to prepare or serve a dish in the style of eggs benedict.

- The restaurant will benedict almost anything on the menu if you ask.
- The kitchen staff had to benedict over fifty orders during the Sunday morning rush.

## Examples

- Our old friend is finally a Benedict after years of single life.
- The office threw a small party for the new Benedict upon his return from the honeymoon.
- Having spent decades championing the virtues of solitude, he surprised his entire social circle by becoming a Benedict in his late fifties.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.