ketchup

noun

ketch·​up ˈke-chəp  ˈka- 

variants or less commonly catchup

ˈke-chəp  ˈka- 

or catsup

ˈke-chəp  ˈka-  ˈkat-səp 

: 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

Add onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, bacon, cheese, ketchup, or nothing at all! —Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2024

The Hungry Bear offers ketchup at the Fixin’s stand, but don’t bother bringing any to the table. —Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 25 Oct. 2024

This one goes out to all the ketchup lovers out there. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Oct. 2024

Key Background McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, one of the chain’s most popular burgers alongside the Big Mac, is 520 calories and contains a quarter pound 100% beef patty, American cheese, ketchup, pickle slices, onions and mustard. —Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024

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

Phrases Containing ketchup

• tomato ketchup

Kids Definition

ketchup

noun

ketch·​up

variants also catchup

ˈkech-əp,

ˈkach-

or catsup

ˈkech-əp 

ˈkach-;

ˈkat-səp

: a thick seasoned sauce usually made from tomatoes