adobo

noun

ado·​bo ə-ˈdō-bō  ä-ˈt͟hō-bō 

plural adobos

1

: a Philippine dish of fish or meat usually marinated in a sauce containing vinegar and garlic, browned in fat, and simmered in the marinade

2

: a spicy marinade used in Latin American cuisine and usually containing vinegar, garlic, and chili peppers

chipotles in adobo

3

: a seasoning mixture that typically includes ground dried garlic, ground dried onion, oregano, salt, and pepper

Examples of adobo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, dill, chipotle chile and adobo sauce, onion powder, 1 teaspoon of the garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper in a medium bowl. —Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025

The restaurant recently moved to a spot on Grand Junction’s Main Street close to Niernberg’s second restaurant, Tacoparty, which also takes advantage of the region’s bounty with Al pastor made with an adobo that uses local guajillo peppers, sage, and juniper. —Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2025

Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, adobo sauce, lime juice, and garlic powder in a small bowl until combined. —Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2025

Chipotle Cream Sauce: Stir together 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt, lime zest, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 1 teaspoon of garlic, and 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce with 2 tablespoons of cool water. —Laura Schober, Health, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Spanish, "marinade," noun derivative of adobar "to arrange, prepare, cook, marinate," borrowed from Old French adober "to arm (a knight), prepare," from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -dober, borrowed from Old Low Franconian *dubban "to strike"; akin to Old Frisian dubba "to hit, knock" — more at dub entry 1

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for adobo

• bobo
• hobo
• lobo
• oboe