English Reference
noun

broth

n.
US /ˈbɹɔθ/ UK /bɹˈɒθ/ broth UK spelling broths

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate Cooking

    the clear liquid you get after boiling meat, bones, or vegetables in water for a long time.

    the liquid resulting from simmering meat, bones, or vegetables, often used as a foundational ingredient for more complex dishes.

    Simple

    She used the chicken broth to make a delicious risotto for dinner.

    In context

    The chef insisted on preparing a fresh vegetable broth from scratch rather than using pre-packaged cubes to ensure the soup had a delicate flavour.

    Usage

    Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the liquid itself.

    Teacher's tip

    While 'broth' and 'stock' are often used interchangeably, broth is usually seasoned and can be eaten alone, whereas stock is typically unseasoned and used as an ingredient.

    stockbouillon
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Cooking

    a simple, thin soup that often has small pieces of meat or vegetables in it.

    a thin, clear soup containing solid ingredients such as grains, herbs, or diced meat.

    Simple

    A warm bowl of beef broth was exactly what he needed while he had a cold.

    In context

    The menu featured a traditional Scotch broth, a hearty soup thickened with barley and filled with root vegetables.

    soupconsommé

From Middle English broth, from Old English broþ (“broth”), from Proto-West Germanic broþ (“broth”), from Proto-Germanic bruþą (“broth”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- (“to seethe, roil, brew”). Akin to Old English breowan (“to brew”), equivalent to brew + -th (abstract nominal suffix).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin ine-pro *bʰrewh₁-
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated