satay

American  

[sah-tey] / sɑˈteɪ /

Or saté,

noun

1. a Southeast Asian, especially Indonesian and Malaysian, dish of marinated, bite-size pieces of meat, skewered, barbecued, and usually served with a peanut-flavored dipping sauce.

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satay British  

/ ˈsæteɪ /

noun

1. barbecued spiced meat cooked on skewers usually made from the stems of coconut leaves

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Etymology

Origin of satay

First recorded in 1930–35, satay is from the Malay word satay, sate

Explanation

Satay is a Southeast Asian skewered meat dish. If you order satay in a restaurant, it usually comes with a peanut dipping sauce. Satay comes from Indonesia, but it's also very common in countries including Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Pieces of seasoned chicken, goat, other meats, or tofu are skewered and grilled over a fire and served with a sauce. Satay is a popular street food all over Southeast Asia. The word satay is from the Malay or Javanese satai and a Tamil root word meaning "flesh or meat."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

satay

The woman's youngest daughter, Luriyanti Putri, told investigators the alleged victim had reported receiving a delivery of chicken satay from an unknown person the day before her body was discovered.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

The inconsistent food comes from Wild Ginger next door: We had very tasty Sichuan green beans and Singapore beef satay, underwhelming pot stickers and a pretty sad, bland cabbage salad.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 12, 2024

“They give you this satay plate that’s like a mountain of rice and a bunch of chicken satay,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2023

Sambals like the Balinese raw matah typically accompany meat and seafood dishes, while the Western-influenced sambal kacang becomes a creamy and addicting choice to drizzle atop salads and dip satay into.

From Salon ● May 10, 2022

She writes of her family’s mixed mealtimes, which were just as likely to feature Australian sausage rolls, made by her mother, as satay, grilled by her father.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 9, 2021