fusion
FYOO-zhun
/ˈfjuːʒən/
The process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity; in cooking, a style that combines elements of different culinary traditions.
In the 1980s and 90s, it specifically referred to the blending of Asian and Western ingredients.
The story behind the word. The word originally described the melting together of metals. It moved from the laboratory and the foundry into the kitchen to describe the 'melting' of different cultures into a single dish.
Word relationships
- blend: Blend is a general term; fusion implies a more deliberate and artistic combination of distinct styles.
- amalgamation: Amalgamation is more formal and often used for organizations or metals.
- separation: The act of keeping elements distinct.
Word family
- fuse (verb): To join or blend together.
Collocations
- fusion cuisine
- cultural fusion
- nuclear fusion
- seamless fusion
Example sentences
- "The restaurant is famous for its Japanese-Mexican fusion, such as sushi tacos with spicy salsa." Describing a specific restaurant style.
- "Cultural fusion in the kitchen often leads to the most innovative new flavors." A broader cultural observation.
Memory hook
Fusion is like a 'fun-union' of different foods. Melting two into one.
When not to use
Don't use it for a meal that just happens to have two different dishes on the same plate; the elements must be integrated into one dish.
Fun facts
- Wolfgang Puck is often credited with popularizing fusion cuisine in the US at his restaurant Chinois on Main.
Related words
Explore more words
amalgamation, hybridization, amalgamate, synthesize, integrate, hybrid
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.