cookout

American  

[kook-out] / ˈkʊkˌaʊt /

Or cook-out

noun

cookouts plural

1. a party or entertainment featuring the cooking and eating of a meal out of doors.

2. the process of cooking and eating a meal outdoors.

3. a meal cooked and eaten in the open.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or intended for use or consumption at a cookout.

cookout British  

/ ˈkʊkˌaʊt /

noun

1. a party where a meal is cooked and eaten out of doors

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cookouts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cookout

1945–50, noun use of verb phrase cook out

Example Sentences

Also a little grim, and precisely the kind of zinger that would lead a person to think that maybe that sad uncle at the cookout is flying solo for a very good reason.

From Salon • Jul. 3, 2026

A Fourth of July cookout will cost 9.4% more than last year, with the American Farm Bureau Federation estimating it costs $73.82 to feed 10.

From Barron's • Jul. 1, 2026

From a pan-African cookout on Juneteenth to $1 drink specials every time the U.S. team scores, these L.A. restaurants and bars are going all out for the 2026 World Cup.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

While beef burgers are a Memorial Day cookout staple for many, there are more affordable options such as hot dogs, turkey burgers and chicken.

From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026

Not at my first-ever Third of July cookout.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• picnic