adobo

[ uh-doh-boh ]

noun

, plural a·do·bos.

1. a Filipino dish of pork or chicken stewed in a marinade of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, herbs, and spices; the national dish of the Philippines:

   The pork adobo we had in Manila may be the best meal I’ve ever had.

2. a Latin American dish of meat or fish prepared in a pastelike marinade of chiles, cinnamon and other spices, garlic, herbs, and vinegar:

   My Mexican brother-in-law makes an awesome adobo with fresh-caught trout.

3. the concoction of flavorful ingredients in which the meat or fish of adobo is cooked:

   The adobo for tonight’s chicken features Saigon cinnamon and a homemade cider vinegar.

adobo

/ əˈdəʊbəʊ /

noun

1. the national dish of the Philippines, which consists of chunks of meat, fish, or vegetables, marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and spices and then stewed in the marinade

Word History and Origins

Origin of adobo¹

First recorded in 1935–40; from Spanish, literally “marinade, marinated meat, pickle,” from adobar “to marinate, pickle,” probably from Old French adober “to prepare, equip (a knight)”; daube ( def ), dub ¹( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of adobo¹

C20: from Spanish

Example Sentences

Aromatic roasted chicken with homemade adobo is an updated take on a classic mealRecipes for the dish vary from family to family, and different preferences sometimes arise even among members of households.

From Washington Post

Massage the adobo into the meat until well coated on all sides.

From Washington Post

After rubbing it with a simple adobo of garlic, lime juice and spices, I roasted it in a hot oven until it was just cooked through, but still juicy and tender.

From Washington Post

Each day the team receives a beef shoulder that gets rubbed down with an adobo marinade, garlic and other other spices, and left to marinate for at least 24 hours.

From Eater

Using your hands, spread the adobo mixture under the skin and then all over chicken.

From Washington Post

Lean turkey meat finds new life in the deep, smoky flavors of chipotle in adobo.

From The Daily Beast