cookout

American  

[kook-out] / ˈkʊkˌaʊt /

Or cook-out

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of cookout

1945–50, noun use of verb phrase cook out

Example Sentences

He met with co-workers during a cookout at the Speed Kingz office in Laurel, Md., ahead of a recent night shift.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

So the Democratic National Convention turned Chicago’s United Center into the world’s biggest cookout.

From Salon • Aug. 24, 2024

One girl described a paseo de olla, a hike in Colombia in which members each bring a different ingredient to contribute to a cookout of a big communal stew.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 20, 2024

Thinking about food safety isn’t anyone’s idea of fun, but neither is ruining memories of a fun cookout by getting sick.

From Seattle Times • May 27, 2024

I didn’t ask where she had been or why she hadn’t returned during the cookout.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

Related Words

• picnic