Definition
n. a thick, cold sauce made from tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar. You usually eat it with fries, burgers, or hot dogs.
n. a thick, sweet and tangy condiment made from tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, and various seasonings. While historically referring to fish-based sauces, the modern sense refers almost exclusively to the tomato-based variety.
Examples
“I like to dip my fries in ketchup.”
“The waiter brought a bottle of ketchup to the table for our burgers and fries.”
“The high sugar and vinegar content in commercial ketchup acts as a natural preservative, allowing the condiment to remain shelf-stable for extended periods after opening.”
Examples
simple
“I like to dip my fries in ketchup.”
contextual
“The waiter brought a bottle of ketchup to the table for our burgers and fries.”
complex
“The high sugar and vinegar content in commercial ketchup acts as a natural preservative, allowing the condiment to remain shelf-stable for extended periods after opening.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the substance; countable when referring to a specific brand, variety, or individual serving packet.
Etymology
Uncertain, but probably ultimately from Hokkien 膎汁 (kê-chiap, “fish sauce”) via Malay kicap, though the precise path is unclear – there are related words in various Chinese languages. Cognate to Malay kicap and Indonesian kecap, ketjap (“soy sauce”). Various other theories exist – see Ketchup: Etymology for extended discussion. First appeared in English in the late 17th century in reference to a Southeast Asian sauce encountered by British traders and sailors. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that it was commonly used in the 18th century to refer to a variety of similar sauces with varying ingredients—"anchovies, mushrooms, walnuts, and oysters being particularly popular"—but by the late 19th century the current tomato ketchup became the most popular form. Catsup (earlier catchup) is an alternative Anglicization, still in use in the U.S.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/ketchup
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR