barbecue

1 of 2

verb

bar·​be·​cue ˈbär-bi-ˌkyü 

barbecued; barbecuing; barbecues

transitive verb

1

: to roast or broil (food, such as meat) on a rack or revolving spit over or before a source of heat (such as hot coals or a gas flame)

barbecuing chicken for dinner

2

: to prepare (food, such as beef, pork, or chicken) by seasoning (as with a marinade, a barbecue sauce, or a rub) and cooking usually slowly and with exposure to low heat and to smoke

Barbecuing brisket begins late Thursday night so they can start serving at noon Friday.

—Carlos Frías

To be really barbecued, ribs must roast slowly over hardwood, which cooks them with a combination of heat and smoke.

—Dennis R. Getto

I prepared it with a rub rather than a marinade or barbecue sauce. It was the first time I'd barbecued meat seasoned with a rub, and it was very easy.

—Margaret Prouse

3

informal : to subject (someone) to harsh criticism or ridicule

Republicans now talk of winning 15 to 20 new seats in November, a prospect that has the faithful and the financiers wanting to barbecue Clinton for at least a few more weeks.

—Nancy Gibbs et al.

intransitive verb

: to barbecue food

barbecuing on a grill

There are no shortcuts in barbecuing here. The brisket, for example, is slow smoked with a dry rub for 14 to 16 hours …

—Constance Snow

barbecuer noun

plural barbecuers

barbecue

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly barbeque

ˈbär-bi-ˌkyü 

1

a

: a large animal (such as a steer) roasted whole or split over an open fire or a fire in a pit

b

: barbecued food

eat barbecue

2

: a social gathering especially in the open air at which barbecued food is eaten

3

: an often portable fireplace over which meat and fish are roasted

Examples of barbecue in a Sentence

Verb

We barbecued chicken and ribs.

We barbecue often during the summer.

Noun

grill a steak on the barbecue

We plan to have a barbecue for the whole family.

She invited us over for some beer and barbecue.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

According to an announcement, the new venue will be the world’s first museum dedicated to barbecue. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Oct. 2024

Westfield and Clarke intend on staying friends, already making plans to barbecue in the driveway where the fateful encounter occurred. —Emma Tucker, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024

Noun

One evening when the boat is moored in Viviers, we are served a terrific barbecue dinner on the Upper Vista Deck. —James Rampton, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024

The democracy sausage tradition goes back decades — there's a national map of which polling places have them and politicians usually work the barbecues on election day for photo ops. —Claire Reilly, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

derivative of barbecue entry 2

Noun

borrowed from American Spanish barbacoa "wood framework for supporting cooked or dried meat," probably borrowed from Taino of Hispaniola

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1689, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1733, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing barbecue

• barbecue sauce

Kids Definition

barbecue

1 of 2 verb

bar·​be·​cue ˈbär-bi-ˌkyü 

barbecued; barbecuing

1

: to cook over or before an open source of heat (as hot coals)

2

: to cook in a highly seasoned sauce

barbecuer noun

barbecue

2 of 2 noun

variants also barbeque

1

a

: a large animal (as a hog or steer) roasted or broiled over an open fire

b

: barbecued food

2

: an outdoor social gathering at which barbecued food is eaten

Etymology

Noun

from American Spanish barbacoa "a rack for hanging meat over a fire," from an Indigenous language of the Antilles