# mirliton

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɜːlɪˌtɒn/

## Definitions
1. A pear-shaped vegetable or its vine; the chayote.
2. The eunuch flute, a kind of kazoo or membranophone.
3. An 18th-century hussar hat resembling a slightly conical shako or tall fez.
4. A tartlet or biscuit garnished with almond, first produced in Rouen around 1800.

## Etymology
From French. Coined as a nonce to advertise a new women's bonnet, mirliton came to be applied to any trifle or trinket before acquiring several specific meanings. Compare the English word folderol.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/mirliton