ketchup

noun

ketch·​up ˈke-chəp  ˈka- 

variants or less commonly catchup

ˈke-chəp  ˈka- 

or catsup

ˈke-chəp  ˈka-  ˈkat-səp 

: a seasoned pureed condiment usually made from tomatoes

Examples of ketchup in a Sentence

She put ketchup on her hamburger.

Recent Examples on the Web

Chicago is known for its deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hot dogs — tomatoes, no ketchup — but also for its Italian beef sandwiches and old-school diners. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026

For five months, ate a pound of turkey with ketchup for breakfast, a scoop of cold ricotta cheese with cold tomato sauce for lunch, a pound of roast beef with ketchup for dinner. —Literary Hub, 24 Apr. 2026

His extra-crispy pomme frites (French fries) are served with a side of house ketchup. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026

And while ketchup will do, this Everything But the Kitchen Sink Sauce takes them to a whole other level of deliciousness. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed, directly or via Malay kecap (phonetically kətʃap) "fish sauce," from Southern Min (Chinese dialects of southeast Fujian) kôe-chiap (Xiamen), kê-chiap (Zhangzhou), from kôe, kê "salted or pickled fish or shellfish" + chiap "juice, sap"

First Known Use

circa 1690, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ketchup

• tomato ketchup

Rhymes for ketchup

• catsup

Kids Definition

ketchup

noun

ketch·​up

variants also catchup

ˈkech-əp, 

ˈkach-

or catsup

ˈkech-əp 

ˈkach-;

ˈkat-səp

: a thick seasoned sauce usually made from tomatoes