ketchup

noun

ketch·​up ˈke-chəp How to pronounce ketchup (audio) ˈka- How to pronounce ketchup (audio)
: a seasoned pureed condiment usually made from tomatoes

Examples of ketchup in a Sentence

She put ketchup on her hamburger.
Recent Examples on the Web All About Jang Image What ketchup is to the American table, jang is to the Korean table, a comprehensive condiment. Florence Fabricant, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Best Naturally-Sweetened Ketchup: Primal Kitchen A Tad Sweet Ketchup Honey-sweetened with half the sugar of regular ketchup. Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2024 From the orange-peel theory to the ketchup challenge, men are being asked to prove their worth on social media—and everyone's watching. February 16, 2024 Campbell Hunt Puckett stands with her husband, Jett, showing off her outfit. Steffi Cao, Glamour, 16 Feb. 2024 Whisk in ketchup, soy sauce, fish sauce, ½ tablespoon of the chile crisp and the rice vinegar. Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2024 This soup features the makings of a perfect burger: ground beef, potatoes (for the French fry taste), ketchup, mustard, and American cheese. Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Feb. 2024 Try channel surfing without landing on a pitch, especially from Mahomes and Kelce, for shampoo, insurance, energy drinks, soup, streaming services, sandwiches, ketchup, candy and more, often using humor to clinch the deals. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 6 Feb. 2024 So, are recreational runners really going to give ketchup a try? Victor Mather, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023 Mustard and ketchup smothering the dog don’t just add a familiar taste. Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ketchup.' 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

borrowed, directly or via Malay kecap (phonetically kətʃap) "fish sauce," from Southern Min (Chinese dialects of southeast Fujian) kôe-chiap (Xiamen), kê-chiap (Zhangzhou), from kôe, kê "salted or pickled fish or shellfish" + chiap "juice, sap"

First Known Use

circa 1690, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ketchup was circa 1690

Dictionary Entries Near ketchup

Cite this Entry

“Ketchup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ketchup. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ketchup

noun
ketch·​up
variants also catchup
ˈkech-əp,
ˈkach-
or catsup
ˈkech-əp How to pronounce ketchup (audio)
ˈkach-;
ˈkat-səp
: a thick seasoned sauce usually made from tomatoes

More from Merriam-Webster on ketchup

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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