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

Food & Wine recently interviewed the content creator, who explained she started giving away free made-from-scratch bread after she picked up a baking hobby.

From Salon

“There’s a bit of like, this is a safe space to be yourself. We’re baking in some of these themes in the show. It’s resistance through art and music.”

From Los Angeles Times

Along the walls were topsy-turvy shelves of cookbooks and books about the history of baking and how to be a beekeeper.

From Literature

Once the sweet potatoes are done baking, let them cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes before adding them to the bowl.

From Salon

Her baking is tireless and punitive, as though she were preparing medicine.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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