kielbasa

American  

[kil-bah-suh, keel-] / kɪlˈbɑ sə, kil- /

noun

plural

kielbasas, kielbasy

1. a smoked sausage of coarsely chopped beef and pork, flavored with garlic and spices.

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kielbasa British  

/ kuːbɒˈsɒ, ˈkuːbɘsɒ, ˌkɪlˈbaːsɘ, ˌkiːlˈbaːsɘ /

noun

1. a traditional garlic sausage of Eastern European origin

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Etymology

Origin of kielbasa

First recorded in 1950–55; from Polish kiełbasa “sausage,” cognate with Czech klobása, dialectal Serbo-Croatian klobasa, Bulgarian kŭlbása, Russian kolbasá; further origin uncertain

Compare meaning

How does kielbasa compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• bratwurst vs. kielbasa
• kielbasa vs. sausage

Example Sentences

Foo, 43, and her husband and 2-year-old son were eating a kielbasa dinner by candlelight, with the electricity already out.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2025

For my lazy version, I cut the potatoes small so they cook quickly, sauté kale in the same pan as the kielbasa, and use green onions so they don't need any cooking at all.

From Salon • Nov. 2, 2023

Turns out the result makes a quick, compelling condiment for fatty grilled meats such as chicken thighs, pork blade chops or kielbasa.

From Seattle Times • May 30, 2023

A little bit of sausage — either chorizo or kielbasa — floating amid the veggies adds richness, body and a brawny kick.

From New York Times • Jan. 7, 2023

The scratch was shallow, but the area surrounding the abrasion was as red and swollen as a chain of kielbasa sausage.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• bratwurst