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

The small menu rotates but might feature rice bowls with beef kare-kare or pork adobo ($16-$18), arroz caldo (chicken soup, $10) or the savory rice porridge called lugaw ($7). —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026

Canned chipotles in adobo are the secret to the lovely smoky flavor in this meatless soup. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026

By a fraction of a point, the judges are giving this one to the pork adobo at Mabuhay. —Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026

Many of the fastest-growing international foods in the United States rely heavily on acidity, from Filipino adobo and Thai soups to Korean kimchi and Mexican ceviche. —Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026

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