smoke point
noun
variants
or smoking point
plural smoke points or smoking points
: the temperature at which an oil or fat (especially one used for cooking) begins to emit smoke
When choosing an oil, you want one with a higher smoke point than your cooking temperature … since surpassing the smoke point "can cause undesirable burnt aroma and flavors," says [Jason] Ginsberg, in addition to filling your kitchen with smoke.—
Laurel Randolph
Laurel RandolphCold-pressed oils have a smoking point of less than 300°F and should not be used for high-heat cooking.—Jane Salzgass Freiman
Jane Salzgass FreimanFilm the pan with peanut oil or canola oil (which have higher smoke points than other vegetable oils).—Harvey Steiman
Harvey SteimanExamples of smoke point in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While coconut oil has a high smoke point, overheating it during cooking may break down some nutrients.
—Health, 14 May 2025
Popular alternatives are extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil (which also has a high smoke point) and algae oil, the new kid on the block, which requires less water and land to cultivate than seed oils, and has a similar neutral flavor.
—Rona Berg, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Flax Oil Flax oil is highly nutritious but also has a low smoke point, which can lead to oxidation and bitterness when heated.
—Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 5 May 2025
The smoke point is the temperature at which oil starts to smoke and break down.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 28 Apr. 2025
Read: Americans have lost the plot on cooking oil
The biggest drawback of olive oil, ignoring certain culinary questions (flavor, smoke point), has long been its price.
—Rachel Sugar, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2025
Ghee has an advantage for high-heat cooking due to its higher smoke point.
—Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2025
Frizzle is intended for the function of olive oil, even more so than Sizzle, due to its high smoke point of 490 degrees Fahrenheit.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Smoke Point Ghee has a high smoke point of around 482°F, compared to butter’s smoke point of around 350°F.1 This makes ghee a better choice for high-heat cooking methods like deep frying, grilling, roasting, and sautéing.
—Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Health, 14 May 2025
Popular alternatives are extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil (which also has a high smoke point) and algae oil, the new kid on the block, which requires less water and land to cultivate than seed oils, and has a similar neutral flavor.
—Rona Berg, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Flax Oil Flax oil is highly nutritious but also has a low smoke point, which can lead to oxidation and bitterness when heated.
—Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 5 May 2025
The smoke point is the temperature at which oil starts to smoke and break down.
—Lindsey Desoto, Health, 28 Apr. 2025
Read: Americans have lost the plot on cooking oil
The biggest drawback of olive oil, ignoring certain culinary questions (flavor, smoke point), has long been its price.
—Rachel Sugar, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2025
Ghee has an advantage for high-heat cooking due to its higher smoke point.
—Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2025
Frizzle is intended for the function of olive oil, even more so than Sizzle, due to its high smoke point of 490 degrees Fahrenheit.
—Andrew Watman, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Smoke Point Ghee has a high smoke point of around 482°F, compared to butter’s smoke point of around 350°F.1 This makes ghee a better choice for high-heat cooking methods like deep frying, grilling, roasting, and sautéing.
—Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smoke point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smoke%20point. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share