uncooked

American  

[uhn-kookt] / ʌnˈkʊkt /

adjective

1. not cooked; raw.

   a dessert made with uncooked eggs.

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uncooked British  

/ ʌnˈkʊkt /

adjective

1. not cooked; raw

   uncooked meat or fish

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Etymology

Origin of uncooked

un- ¹ + cook ¹ + -ed ²

Explanation

Anything that's uncooked is raw, like an uncooked tomato eaten right off the vine in the garden or the bite of uncooked cookie dough you sneak from the mixing bowl. Use the adjective uncooked to describe any food that hasn't been heated at all — not in an oven, a microwave, or on the backyard grill. It's particularly common to describe food as uncooked if it's actually meant to be cooked. Don't eat that uncooked chicken, and don't feed it to your dog — it's not safe for you or Fluffy!

Example Sentences

Uncooked meat can carry disease-causing bacteria, endangering not just dogs but the people who care for them, says Dr. Michael Bailey, the organization’s president.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Uncooked rice may contain spores of Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that causes food poisoning.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2024

Uncooked eggs are not allowed into the U.S. from Mexico because of the risk of disease.

From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2023

Uncooked stuffing can also be frozen but it will need to be cooked immediately when removed from a freezer, according to the USDA’s "Handling Stuffing with Care Guide."

From Fox News • Nov. 26, 2021

Uncooked fondant, too, is more limited in its uses than cooked fondant, for it cannot be melted and used for bonbons.

From Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume 5: Fruit and Fruit Desserts; Canning and Drying; Jelly Making, Preserving and Pickling; Confections; Beverages; the Planning of Meals by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

Related Words

• raw