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bar·be·cue

(bärbĭ-ky′)

1. A grill, pit, or outdoor fireplace for roasting meat.

a. A whole animal carcass or section thereof roasted or broiled over an open fire or on a spit.

b. A social gathering, usually held outdoors, at which food is cooked over an open flame.

3. Meat or seafood cooked in or served with barbecue sauce.

tr.v. bar·be·cued, bar·be·cu·ing, bar·be·cues

To roast, broil, or grill (meat or seafood) over live coals or an open fire, often basting with a seasoned sauce.

[American Spanish barbacoa, of Taíno origin.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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