noun
dried squid; dried cuttlefish
A common snack food made from dried squid or cuttlefish. Often eaten as a drinking snack (otsumami). The word is a euphemistic alteration of するめ, avoiding the unlucky associations of する (to lose money).
See also: 鯣 (するめ)
居酒屋であたりめを注文した。
I ordered dried squid at the izakaya.
あたりめはお酒によく合う。
Dried squid goes well with alcohol.
するめ is the original word for dried squid, but it is often avoided in commercial contexts because する can mean 'to lose money'. あたりめ is a euphemistic replacement using あたり (hit, win).
Euphemistic alteration of するめ (dried squid), replacing する (which can mean 'to lose money') with あたり ('to hit' or 'to win'). The exact time of coinage is uncertain, but it is a well-known example of wordplay in Japanese food culture.