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barbecue

or bar·be·que, bar-b-que

[ bahr-bi-kyoo ]
/ ˈbɑr bɪˌkyu /
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noun
verb (used with object), bar·be·cued, bar·be·cu·ing.
to broil or roast whole or in large pieces over an open fire, on a spit or grill, often seasoning with vinegar, spices, salt, and pepper.
to cook (sliced or diced meat or fish) in a highly seasoned sauce.
verb (used without object), bar·be·cued, bar·be·cu·ing.
to cook by barbecuing or to entertain at a barbecue: If the weather's nice, we'll barbecue in the backyard.
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Origin of barbecue

First recorded in 1655–65; from Spanish barbacoa, from Arawak (perhaps Taíno ) barbacoa “a raised frame of sticks”

OTHER WORDS FROM barbecue

bar·be·cu·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use barbecue in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for barbecue

barbecue
/ (ˈbɑːbɪˌkjuː) /

noun
a meal cooked out of doors over an open fire
an outdoor party or picnic at which barbecued food is served
a grill or fireplace used in barbecuing
the food so cooked
verb -cues, -cuing or -cued (tr)
to cook (meat, fish, etc) on a grill, usually over charcoal and often with a highly seasoned sauce
to cook (meat, fish, etc) in a highly seasoned sauce

Word Origin for barbecue

C17: from American Spanish barbacoa, probably from Taino: frame made of sticks
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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