barbecue

or bar·be·que, bar-b-que

[ bahr-bi-kyoo ]

noun

1. pieces of meat, fowl, fish, or the like, roasted or smoked over fire, especially when basted in a barbecue sauce:

   The restaurant serves amazing barbecue.

2. a framework, such as a grill or a spit, for cooking meat or vegetables over an open fire:

   Make sure you clean off the barbecue so it's ready to use when we go camping.

3. a meal, usually in the open air and often as a social gathering, at which meats are roasted on a grill or over an open hearth or pit.
4. any social gathering centered around food, especially meat, that is cooked over fire using a grill, spit, smoker, or the like:

   Our weekend barbecue was lively until it started to rain.

5. a dressed steer, lamb, or other animal, roasted whole.

verb (used with object)

barbecued, barbecuing.

1. to broil, smoke, or roast (meat, fowl, fish, or the like) whole or in large pieces over an open fire, using a spit, grill, smoker, or the like, often seasoning with vinegar, spices, salt, and pepper:

   They barbecued a chicken and some steaks for dinner.

2. to cook (sliced or diced meat, fowl, fish, or the like) in a highly seasoned sauce.

verb (used without object)

barbecued, barbecuing.

1. to cook over an open fire using an instrument such as a grill, spit, or smoker, or to host a social gathering where food is cooked in this manner:

   If the weather's nice, we'll barbecue in the backyard.

barbecue

/ ˈbɑːbɪˌkjuː /

noun

1. a meal cooked out of doors over an open fire
2. an outdoor party or picnic at which barbecued food is served
3. a grill or fireplace used in barbecuing
4. the food so cooked

verb

1. to cook (meat, fish, etc) on a grill, usually over charcoal and often with a highly seasoned sauce
2. to cook (meat, fish, etc) in a highly seasoned sauce

Other Word Forms

• bar·be·cu·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of barbecue¹

First recorded in 1655–65; from Spanish barbacoa, from Arawak (perhaps Taíno ) barbacoa “a raised frame of sticks”

Word History and Origins

Origin of barbecue¹

C17: from American Spanish barbacoa , probably from Taino: frame made of sticks

Example Sentences

A barbecue buffet, with a side of duck.

From Los Angeles Times

One of them approaches a vendor selling barbecued strips of yak meat.

From BBC

Whenever Tokimonsta plays the Do Lab, she says it’s similar to attending a lively family barbecue — except the venue is a giant music tent.

From Los Angeles Times

Keep barbecues with propane tanks in this zone.

From Los Angeles Times

We went back and forth, but it was hilarious because as I was recording in my basement, I was supposed to be barbecuing for a bunch of friends I was hosting.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cookout
• picnic