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

The namesake Bad Boy Burger ($11.99) is two quarter-pound patties, bacon, American cheese, Swiss cheese, chili, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and mustard. —Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 7 Apr. 2025

An example of this happened in 2009, when Domino’s launched a commercial acknowledging the inferiority of and bashing their own product, stating that their sauce tasted like ketchup and their dough like cardboard. —Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025

Another goal — and ‘Siu’ celebration — followed in his next match four days later against Portugal in the Nations League, suggesting the ketchup is beginning to flow for the young Dane. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025

Don some blindfolds and have at it, giving them fun things to taste like pickle juice, ketchup, yogurt, apple chunks, and more. —Sherri Gordon, Parents, 25 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for ketchup

• catsup

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