cooking

American  

[kook-ing] / ˈkʊk ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that cooks.

2. the art or practice of preparing food; cookery.

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adjective

1. used in preparing foods.

   All of my cooking utensils are packed, so I had to order pizza.

2. suited for use in cooked food.

   The Golden Delicious is our favorite cooking apple, especially for applesauce.

Other Word Forms

• self-cooking
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cooking

First recorded in 1635–45; cook ¹ + -ing ¹ for the noun senses; cook ¹ + -ing ² for the adjective senses

Example Sentences

Not far from the church is a cluster of several homes that share an outhouse and an outdoor wood-fired grill for communal cooking.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2026

"I can't think of anything in American cooking that's common with that slimy texture."

From Barron's • Jun. 22, 2026

Over the past few weeks, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about how to make weeknight cooking feel a little easier, a little prettier and a little more satisfying on a budget.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026

Instead, you are a resident of New York City, where AI companies are sending free cooking and cleaning staff straight to people's doors.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026

But being teacher, she’d have to leave the cooking to Aunt Maud.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Related Words

• cookery
• cuisine
• culinary art
• culinary science