What does cep mean?
A cep is a large, highly prized edible mushroom — the species best known is Boletus edulis, called the penny bun in Britain and the porcino in Italy. It has a thick, pale, bulbous stem and a smooth brown cap, and grows wild in woodlands across Europe, typically near beech, oak, pine, and chestnut trees. Ceps are celebrated for their firm flesh and rich, nutty, umami flavour, which intensifies when they are dried, making them a staple of fine cuisine in dishes such as risottos, soups, and sauces. Because they resist cultivation, most ceps are gathered by foragers, adding to their prestige and price. The word entered English from French cépe, ultimately derived from the Latin cepa, meaning onion. In Britain, chefs and food writers use "cep" regularly, while American English generally favours the Italian "porcini".
nounA large edible mushroom with a thick stem and brown cap, especially the penny bun (Boletus edulis), prized in European cooking.
- An edible wild mushroom of the genus Boletus, particularly Boletus edulis, having a stout stem and a brown cap; also called porcino or penny bun.
"The forager filled her basket with ceps beneath the beech trees."
"She sliced the fresh cep into thin rounds for the autumn risotto."
"Dried ceps, rehydrated in warm water, lend a deep earthy flavour to the sauce."
Regular plural; occasionally rendered "cepes" after the French spelling "cépe". The Italian loan "porcini" functions as the plural of "porcino" and is common in culinary contexts.
"We found several large ceps under the pines."
The cep's scientific name, Boletus edulis, literally means "edible Boletus" — as if the mushroom were so delicious it needed no other description.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cep
The word "cep" was borrowed into English in the late 19th century from French "cépe", itself taken from Occitan "cep", from Latin "cepa", meaning "onion". The same Latin root gives us the modern words "onion" (via Old French oignon) and "scallion". The name likely alludes to the mushroom's bulbous shape. Its Italian cognate in culinary use is "porcino" (plural "porcini").
How cep is actually used
The plural is usually "ceps", though the Italian-derived "porcini" is more common in North American cooking contexts. The word is chiefly British in usage; American cooks tend to say "porcini". It carries connotations of gourmet, foraged food.
Easily confused with cep
"Sep" is an abbreviation or name (e.g. short for September), while a "cep" is an edible wild mushroom.
"Kep" is chiefly a Scottish word meaning to catch or hold water, whereas "cep" is a type of boletus mushroom.