chowchow

1 of 2

noun (1)

chow·​chow ˈchau̇-ˌchau̇ 

1

: a Chinese preserve of ginger, fruits, and peels in heavy syrup

2

: a relish of chopped mixed pickles in mustard sauce

chow chow

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈchau̇-ˌchau̇ 

often capitalized both Cs

: any of a breed of heavy-coated sturdy muscular dogs of Chinese origin having a broad head and muzzle, a distinctive blue-black tongue and black-lined mouth, and either a long dense coat with a full ruff or a short smooth coat

called also chow

Illustration of chow chow

Examples of chowchow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On each table sat jars of homemade preserves, pickles, and jewel-toned chowchow, the sweet and tangy relish made from what some people call garden orphans, a ragtag assortment of cabbage, peppers, and unripe tomatoes gathered before the year's first hard freeze. —Sheri Castle, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2021

Hearty dishes include cabbage stuffed with beef from nearby Wolf Hills Farm and served with Milton's version of chowchow, the ubiquitous Southern relish. —Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 22 Aug. 2021

Panzer’s pickles, sauerkraut and chowchow were brined in Fells Point. —Jacques Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 3 Apr. 2021

Pinckney was at the dinner that night, trying to acknowledge and refute history over watermelon brandy, chowchow, shrimp pie, chapon chasseur, and truffled squab served with silver ewers of walnut ketchup. —Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Chinese Pidgin English chowchow food

Noun (2)

perhaps from chow-chow Chinese person, from Chinese Pidgin English chowchow food

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1886, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

chow chow

noun

ˈchau̇-ˌchau̇ 

: any of a breed of thick-coated muscular dogs with a blue-black tongue and a short tail curled close to the back

called also chow