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sauté

American  
[soh-tey, saw-] / soʊˈteɪ, sɔ- /

adjective

  1. cooked or browned in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat.


verb (used with object)

sautéed, sautéing
  1. to cook in a small amount of fat; pan-fry.

noun

  1. a dish of sautéed food.

sauté British  
/ ˈsəʊteɪ /

verb

  1. to fry (food) quickly in a little fat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a dish of sautéed food, esp meat that is browned and then cooked in a sauce

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. sautéed until lightly brown

    sauté potatoes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sauté

1805–15; < French, past participle of sauter to jump (causative: to toss) < Latin saltāre, frequentative of salīre to jump

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But with you, it’s, ‘Well, can I sauté it in brown butter?’

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 12, 2024

Cooks sauté it in olive oil, season it with onions or boil it into soup to make tasty, low-cost meals.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2024

Add the chard leaves, and sauté for a minute.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 9, 2024

Upon his return, my Aunt Jenny would meticulously wash the hen-of-the-woods, turkey tail or other fungi free of soil and insects, and sauté them with hot peppers or add them to sauces or stews.

From Washington Times • Dec. 5, 2023

All we need to do is sauté olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, chopped parsley, and tomatoes together in a pot, and prepare spaghetti to go with it.”

From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket