adobo

noun

ado·​bo ə-ˈdō-bō  ä-ˈt͟hō-bō 

plural adobos

1

: a Philippine dish of fish or meat usually marinated in a sauce containing vinegar and garlic, browned in fat, and simmered in the marinade

2

: a spicy marinade used in Latin American cuisine and usually containing vinegar, garlic, and chili peppers

chipotles in adobo

3

: a seasoning mixture that typically includes ground dried garlic, ground dried onion, oregano, salt, and pepper

Examples of adobo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chipotles in adobo can also be used to flavor veggies for a vegetarian-style taco. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024

Hers is chicken marinated in a bright adobo, topped with slices of butternut squash, wrapped and tied in a bundle of parchment paper, then steamed. —Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024

But that’s where things get interesting: The pork adobo does have fennel. —Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 28 June 2024

Shrimp gets coated in a simple mixture of adobo sauce and honey, then cooked for a matter of minutes—two, to be exact. —Alaina Chou, Bon Appétit, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Spanish, "marinade," noun derivative of adobar "to arrange, prepare, cook, marinate," borrowed from Old French adober "to arm (a knight), prepare," from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -dober, borrowed from Old Low Franconian *dubban "to strike"; akin to Old Frisian dubba "to hit, knock" — more at dub entry 1

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1