Barbecued

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of preparing food by grilling it over a flame enhances its flavor with a characteristic smokiness
2. Cooking meat using an open fire method results in a unique taste and is often associated with social gatherings
3. The process of cooking meat slowly over indirect heat provides a distinctive smokiness while often accompanying lively social events

Etymology: The past form "barbecued" is simply the verb "barbecue" in its past tense and past participle, so its story is the story of the verb. That verb came into English in the mid-1600s, borrowed from Spanish "barbacoa," which in turn came from the Taíno word "barbakoa," meaning a framework of sticks. The structure was raised above the ground and used by the Indigenous people of the Caribbean both to sleep on and to cure meat. The Spanish word first named a meal of roasted meat or fish, so the food came before the cooking method. Only later did the word shift toward the act of cooking itself over an open fire, which is the sense "barbecued" carries today.

Synonyms: grilled, smoked