churrasco
Americannoun
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meat cooked over an open fire.
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a large piece of meat suitable for barbecuing.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of churrasco
First recorded in 1915–20; from Brazilian Portuguese, Latin American Spanish (Argentina, Uruguay); compare dialectal Spanish (Salamanca region) churrusco “piece of burnt toast,” churruscar “to begin to burn,” Spanish socarrar “to scorch, singe,” all from a pre-Latin etymon
Explanation
Summer is a great time for churrasco, a style of barbecued or grilled meat that is famously prepared at Brazilian steakhouses. Churrasco can refer to a wide variety of South and Central American meat preparations or cuts, but most of them involve open fire or very high heat. In English, it often refers to Brazilian-style barbecue, which is frequently done on skewers over an open fire. Popular restaurants, churrascarias, have waiters who go around the room with one of these skewers, slicing pieces onto plates for customers, who can eat as much as they like.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fogo de Chão — Fogo de Chão is a fun choice for groups and anyone with an appreciation for Brazilian-style churrasco.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
The fare is all Brazilian, from feijão tropeiro, a traditional bean dish, to chicken, pork and beef churrasco or Brazilian-style barbecue.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
Cattle and ranching are synonymous with the culture and romance of the gauchos—the cowboys of southern Brazil—as legendary as their counterparts in the American West and known for skewered barbecued steak called churrasco.
From National Geographic • Jan. 24, 2024
I had a tender chicken breast powder coated in parsley, oregano and garlic, served with Spanish rice, refried black beans and a vibrant churrasco salsa.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 9, 2022
It can be applied to just about everything, but particularly good results are achieved with the hornado and churrasco.
From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2022
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
