baking

[bey-king]

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.

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

/ 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

adjective

1. (esp of weather) very hot and dry

Word History and Origins

Origin of baking¹

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

“Target is back to baking the cake. It’s putting the ingredients in the mixing bowl still and deciding how they come together.”

Read more on Barron's

Starch grains from wheat and barley, along with clear signs of milling, cooking, and baking, indicated that his meals included cooked wheat semolina and baked wheat bread.

Read more on Science Daily

With a background in fashion and experience working at Violet bakery and Spring restaurant in London, Thompson brings a unique flair to his baking.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Jasmine Mitchell, from Edinburgh, was crowned winner of the Channel 4 baking competition on Tuesday's show.

Read more on BBC

The sun was scorching, the fields were baking, the pond was drying up, and foul odors were floating all throughout the dairy.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

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