gristle

noun

gris·​tle ˈgri-səl How to pronounce gristle (audio) -zəl How to pronounce gristle (audio)
: cartilage
broadly : tough cartilaginous, tendinous, or fibrous matter especially in table meats

Examples of gristle in a Sentence

a cheap piece of meat, full of gristle and fat
Recent Examples on the Web Bites of a Reuben were interrupted by a glob of fatty gristle; the au jus in the Papa Eddie, a French dip with otherwise good brisket, was unbearably salty. Maura Judkis, Washington Post, 31 July 2024 Sichuanese jerky is all about the tendon and the gristle. Jiayang Fan, The New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2024 But what about those unavoidable cinematic stinkers that rankled and vexed, worthy of their own specifically notable ire as visually flavorless gristle or toxically soporific veneers masquerading as motion pictures? Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 5 Dec. 2023 Remove ham meat from bone, and add back to soup: Remove ham bone and any gristle. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2023 See all Example Sentences for gristle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gristle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gristil, from Old English gristle; akin to Middle Low German gristel gristle

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gristle was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near gristle

Cite this Entry

“Gristle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gristle. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

gristle

noun
gris·​tle ˈgris-əl How to pronounce gristle (audio)
: tough chewy matter in meat served as food that is composed usually of cartilage
gristly
ˈgris-(ə-)lē
adjective

Medical Definition

gristle

noun
gris·​tle ˈgris-əl How to pronounce gristle (audio)

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