baking

American  

[bey-king] / ˈbeɪ kɪŋ /

noun

1. the activity or practice of cooking food using dry heat, especially in an oven.

   Baking can give cuts of poultry a crispy, browned exterior.

2. food cooked using dry heat, especially bread, pastry, cakes, etc..

   Nothing puts me into the Christmas spirit like the smells of holiday baking.

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adjective

1. extremely hot.

   It was unseasonably cold last week, but this week it's absolutely baking.

2. used in preparing food cooked with dry heat, especially bread, pastry, cakes, etc..

   I can't make cookies without a baking tray.

3. suited for use in pies, pastry, etc..

   Proper baking apples are needed for a good apple crumble.

baking British  

/ ˈbeɪkɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the process of cooking bread, cakes, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a baking dish

2. the bread, cakes, etc, cooked at one time

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adjective

1. (esp of weather) very hot and dry

Etymology

Origin of baking

First recorded in 1300–50; 1650–60 baking for def. 3; Middle English; bake ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; bake ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses

Example Sentences

Don’t sleep on seasoning: warming spices like cinnamon, allspice and cardamom, plus baking favorites like ginger, citrus zest, or vanilla, take a smoothie from functional to delicious.

From Salon

TJ’s also suggests cracking an egg inside a halved avocado, seasoning it with salt and pepper and baking it in the oven.

From Salon

Although in this case it is the name of a variety of potato that the King recommends as a good choice for baking.

From BBC

Soon the smell of cookies baking lures me downstairs.

From Literature

It smells good in here—like baking bread and the sweet, earthy tang of tea.

From Literature

Related Words

• blistering
• boiling
• red-hot
• scorching
• searing
• sizzling
• sweltering