marinade

American  

[mar-uh-neyd, mar-uh-neyd] / ˌmær əˈneɪd, ˈmær əˌneɪd /

noun

1. a seasoned liquid, usually of vinegar or wine with oil, herbs, spices, etc., in which meat, fish, vegetables, etc., are steeped before cooking.

2. meat, fish, vegetables, etc., steeped in it.

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verb (used with object)

marinaded, marinading

1. to marinate.

marinade British  

noun

1. a spiced liquid mixture of oil, wine, vinegar, herbs, etc, in which meat or fish is soaked before cooking

2. meat or fish soaked in this liquid

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verb

1. a variant of marinate

Etymology

Origin of marinade

1675–85; < French < Provençal marinado, noun use of feminine past participle of mariná to cure meat or fish in brine, verbal derivative of marin marine

Explanation

A marinade is a flavorful liquid that food is soaked in before being cooked. Before grilling chicken, you should let the meat sit in a marinade. Most marinades include spices, oil, and something acidic, like lemon juice or vinegar. Some recipes call for leaving food in a marinade briefly, while others instruct you to leave food in a marinade for days. This is a good way to make a tough cut of meat more tender. When you use a marinade, you marinate — both words come from the French mariner, "to pickle in sea brine," from the Latin marinus, "of the sea."

Example Sentences

For the marinade, you’ll need Korean barbecue sauce, available at most grocery stores.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

It initially hit the right sweet, slightly piquant notes that al pastor meat should — but the flavor quickly dissipated because the marinade hadn’t soaked through the chicken chunks.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

A marinade of yogurt, underripe mango, ginger, garlic and turmeric lends sweet-sharp depth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

Christine and Paul Boyle's award-winning pie has a doner kebab filling made from chicken, beef and a chilli marinade with a sweet chilli sauce.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2025

I wrapped potatoes in foil and stuck them in the oven to bake, covered a steak in marinade and balanced it on top of a carton of eggs in the fridge.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

Related Words

• bathe
• brine
• immerse
• pickle
• steep