barbecue

1 of 2

verb

bar·​be·​cue ˈbär-bi-ˌkyü How to pronounce barbecue (audio)
barbecued; barbecuing; barbecues

transitive verb

1
: to roast or broil (food, such as meat) on a rack or revolving spit over or before a source of heat (such as hot coals or a gas flame)
barbecuing chicken for dinner
2
: to prepare (food, such as beef, pork, or chicken) by seasoning (as with a marinade, a barbecue sauce, or a rub) and cooking usually slowly and with exposure to low heat and to smoke
Barbecuing brisket begins late Thursday night so they can start serving at noon Friday.Carlos Frías
To be really barbecued, ribs must roast slowly over hardwood, which cooks them with a combination of heat and smoke.Dennis R. Getto
I prepared it with a rub rather than a marinade or barbecue sauce. It was the first time I'd barbecued meat seasoned with a rub, and it was very easy.Margaret Prouse
3
informal : to subject (someone) to harsh criticism or ridicule
Republicans now talk of winning 15 to 20 new seats in November, a prospect that has the faithful and the financiers wanting to barbecue Clinton for at least a few more weeks.Nancy Gibbs et al.

intransitive verb

: to barbecue food
barbecuing on a grill
There are no shortcuts in barbecuing here. The brisket, for example, is slow smoked with a dry rub for 14 to 16 hours …Constance Snow
barbecuer noun
plural barbecuers

barbecue

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly barbeque
1
a
: a large animal (such as a steer) roasted whole or split over an open fire or a fire in a pit
b
: barbecued food
eat barbecue
2
: a social gathering especially in the open air at which barbecued food is eaten
3
: an often portable fireplace over which meat and fish are roasted

Examples of barbecue in a Sentence

Verb We barbecued chicken and ribs. We barbecue often during the summer. Noun grill a steak on the barbecue We plan to have a barbecue for the whole family. She invited us over for some beer and barbecue.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Mayor Eric Adams said a tragedy occurred as families were barbecuing and enjoying the evening. Phil Helsel, NBC News, 5 July 2024 The resort's five restaurants offer everything from regional cuisine — barbecued meats, shakshuka, Arabic mezze — at Nesma to contemporary Japanese at Gishiki 45. Prasad Ramamurthy, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2024
Noun
For Johnson, barbecue meant family gatherings and cherished memories of his dad, who worked six days a week at the Ford plant in Dearborn and could seem like the world’s most serious man. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 9 Oct. 2024 Anyone who has ever visited the city knows that there is a delicious abundance of dining options here, from barbecue, to filipino fare, to Spanish tapas, and everything in between. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for barbecue 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barbecue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

derivative of barbecue entry 2

Noun

borrowed from American Spanish barbacoa "wood framework for supporting cooked or dried meat," probably borrowed from Taino of Hispaniola

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1689, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1733, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of barbecue was circa 1689

Dictionary Entries Near barbecue

Cite this Entry

“Barbecue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbecue. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

barbecue

1 of 2 verb
bar·​be·​cue ˈbär-bi-ˌkyü How to pronounce barbecue (audio)
barbecued; barbecuing
1
: to cook over or before an open source of heat (as hot coals)
2
: to cook in a highly seasoned sauce
barbecuer noun

barbecue

2 of 2 noun
variants also barbeque
1
a
: a large animal (as a hog or steer) roasted or broiled over an open fire
b
: barbecued food
2
: an outdoor social gathering at which barbecued food is eaten
Etymology

Noun

from American Spanish barbacoa "a rack for hanging meat over a fire," from an Indigenous language of the Antilles

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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