steak

American  

[steyk] / steɪk /

noun

• steaks
  plural

1. a typically thick slice of meat, especially beef, or a thick slice of firm, hearty fish, cooked by broiling, pan-frying, etc.: salmon steaks.

   a sirloin steak;

   salmon steaks.

2. ground or chopped meat prepared in the same manner as a steak.

3. a thick slice of a hearty vegetable or other meaty food: tofu steaks.

   eggplant steaks;

   tofu steaks.

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steak British  

/ steɪk /

noun

1. See beefsteak

2. any of various cuts of beef of varying quality, used for braising, stewing, etc

3. a thick slice of pork, veal, etc, or of a large fish, esp cod or salmon

4. minced meat prepared in the same way as steak

   hamburger steak

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• steaks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of steak

1400–50; late Middle English steike < Old Norse steik meat roasted on a stick

Explanation

If you order steak at a restaurant, you'll probably be served a thick piece of cooked meat. Although most people use the noun steak to mean a slice of grilled or broiled beef, it can be used to talk about any kind of meat or fish. Many people like to cook tuna steaks on the grill or order a medium-rare T-bone steak at a restaurant. Since the fifteenth century, steak has meant "thick slice of meat," from the Old Norse root word steik, "roast meat."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

steak steaks

For nearly five decades, they served up diner classics like steak and eggs and a hearty stack of pancakes while infusing the meals with touches that showcased their Chinese heritage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

A red cartoon hunk of steak, a bronzed turkey, a few shrimp, a tub of unsweetened yogurt, an apple and a bag of frozen peas cascade alongside him.

From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026

The meat has been described as tasting like a cross between kipper and steak or "salty goose" and, less flatteringly, as "rotten leather and fishy beef", external.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

Related: ‘I’ve plenty of time on my hands’: Advisers bombard me with offers of free steak dinners.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

They fed the dogs choice pieces of reindeer steak.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

A sweet little throwaway in which Mellencamp picks up steaks at the grocery store for a picnic with his daughter Teddi.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

“We are seeing guests trade up to more premium steak cuts once they engage with our servers and see the steaks on the menu,” Bloomin’ Brands CFO Eric Christel said on a call with analysts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

The Mibrasa Hibachi Table Top Grill is portable, maintains a fire for hours and makes grilling skewers, vegetables and even steaks feel like part of the entertainment.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

This July 4, millions of Americans will fire up their grills and cook plenty of burgers and steaks.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

I took stock of the frozen venison and decided that there were enough steaks for us to eat nothing but venison for a month.

From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George