satay

American  

[sah-tey] / sɑˈteɪ /

Or saté,

noun

1. a Southeast Asian, especially Indonesian and Malaysian, dish of marinated, bite-size pieces of meat, skewered, barbecued, and usually served with a peanut-flavored dipping sauce.

---

satay British  

/ ˈsæteɪ /

noun

1. barbecued spiced meat cooked on skewers usually made from the stems of coconut leaves

---

Etymology

Origin of satay

First recorded in 1930–35, satay is from the Malay word satay, sate

Explanation

Satay is a Southeast Asian skewered meat dish. If you order satay in a restaurant, it usually comes with a peanut dipping sauce. Satay comes from Indonesia, but it's also very common in countries including Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Pieces of seasoned chicken, goat, other meats, or tofu are skewered and grilled over a fire and served with a sauce. Satay is a popular street food all over Southeast Asia. The word satay is from the Malay or Javanese satai and a Tamil root word meaning "flesh or meat."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

satay

The delivery driver raised suspicions about this - expecting a woman, and the person who sold Purwadi the satay says the food was in different packaging by the time it was delivered to Aminah.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

The flavors are global, with ingredients including harissa, udon, satay, miso, pesto, tagine and curry.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 22, 2024

“They give you this satay plate that’s like a mountain of rice and a bunch of chicken satay,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2023

The key to really good chicken satay is the char, which is responsible for both the texture and flavor of the meat.

From Salon ● Apr. 30, 2022

She writes of her family’s mixed mealtimes, which were just as likely to feature Australian sausage rolls, made by her mother, as satay, grilled by her father.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 9, 2021