congee

¹

[kon-jee, ‐zhey]

noun

1. congé.

verb (used without object)

Obsolete.

congeed, congeeing 

1. to take one's leave.

2. to bow ceremoniously.

congee

²

[kon-jee]

noun

1. (in East Asian, especially Chinese, cuisine) a thick rice porridge.

Word History and Origins

Origin of congee¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; late Middle English noun congie, congye, from Middle French congié, Old French congié, from Latin commeātus “furlough, leave of absence” literally, “passage, coming and going,” equivalent to commeā(re) “to go, travel” (from com- + meāre “to proceed, pass, travel”) + -tus suffix of verbal action; verb derived from noun; com-

Origin of congee²

First recorded in 1695–1700; from Tamil kañci, kañji

Example Sentences

You can also blend it with oil for a finishing drizzle—maybe even atop a comforting congee.

From Salon

Instead of a basic rice bowl with ground beef, why not make congee with soy-braised beef and lots of fresh herbs?

From Salon

The secret part was that they wouldn’t give their names — gimmicky, until you heard they wanted to share the credit as a collective, and until you tasted the congee, at which point, nothing else mattered.

From Seattle Times

Much like someone might refer to a dish like congee as a comfort food, rice pudding is within that same frame of reference.

From Salon

By her preteen years, Ms. Komara said, she had left school and was roaming the alleys of Hong Kong, with their topless bars luring sailors and congee burbling in diners.

From New York Times