the mucilaginous pods of okra
another name for okra
a soup or stew thickened with okra pods
a fine soil in the W prairies that becomes muddy when wet
1795–1805, < Louisiana French gombo, gumbo < a Bantu language; compare Umbundu ochinggombo, Luba chinggombo okra
First recorded in 1835–40; probably from the same source as gumbo ( def. )
Gumbo is a Louisiana Creole stew that's thick and spicy, usually containing shellfish and sausage and served over rice. When you're visiting New Orleans, you should definitely try some gumbo. One of gumbo's traditional thickeners is the vegetable called okra, which is sometimes also called gumbo, from the Angolan word kingombo. The ingredients of an authentic gumbo can vary a lot, though it almost always starts with celery, onions, and peppers and flavorful stock. From there, it needs a thickener (either a roux or cooked okra), spices, and meat or shellfish. Gumbo is the official food of the state of Louisiana.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For him, it’s more a gumbo in which every ingredient changes and improves the mix.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
On a recent morning, Nones took photos for a cookbook, shooting portraits of residents who submitted recipes for Romanian stuffed cabbage and gumbo, coaching them from his chair.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026
That includes mashed potatoes, chicken pot pie and casserole, or big pots of soup, chowder, gumbo and jambalaya.
From Salon ● Feb. 7, 2026
His gumbo recipe, for example, calls for two pouches each of smoked clams, oysters and mackerel along with white rice, oregano, cumin and chile peppers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2025
Between this level and the surface was a mixture of sand and clay so saturated with water that engineers called it gumbo.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
One of the park’s earlier activists, Judy Gumbo, recalled a higher level of fervor in the spring of 1969, when her planned march for women’s rights was upended by contention over the fledgling park.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2024
“We are getting into a match with both legs tied,” said CCC lawyer Agency Gumbo.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 9, 2023
Gumbo is the perfect excuse for a party because it's an all day affair.
From Salon ● May 18, 2023
My cat Gumbo died and, a few hours later, Savana had written the song.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2021
Mama's chubby alligator, Gumbo, slithered out of the water and onto the pier, slapping his tail with excitement.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Mr. McCree’s gumbos, including Tiny’s gumbo based on his grandfather’s style, are cooked to order in kettles behind a counter with a long row of tables opposite.
From New York Times ● May 24, 2022
“No two gumbos are alike, and that goes for others who make gumbo, as well.”
From Washington Post ● Jan. 9, 2021
With her mother coordinating food drops, Williams received curries, gumbos and self-packaged olive oil for meals, along with baked goods her mom routinely included.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 11, 2020
And because of that, our gatherings are generally joyous gumbos of movie quotes and good-natured insults.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2020
After he realised the scale of the problem, he founded the National Institute of Crayfish Trappers, and became Crayfish Bob, selling gumbos and crawfish boil.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 31, 2017
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
