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

"Every day, every hour, we speak about this point," says Aya, whose family were lawyers and teachers back home, but had to start again in Turkey, baking and hairdressing to earn a living.

From BBC

A new, legal supplement made of baking soda helps quiet screaming muscles.

From The Wall Street Journal

Is this going to look like I panicked in the baking aisle?

From Salon

The One Big Beautiful Bill could provide the biggest boost to retail stocks since then, even if it leaves the wall flowers and baking enthusiasts out in the cold.

From Barron's

Slowing down looks mundane in practice: giving eggs and butter time to lose their chill before baking; letting meat rest instead of slicing into it triumphantly too soon.

From Salon

Related Words

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