barbacoa
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish barbacoa (whence also barbecue), from Taíno barbakoa (“framework of sticks”), the raised wooden structure the natives used to either sleep on or cure meat. Originally “meal of roasted meat or fish”.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˌbɑː(ɹ)bəˈkoʊ.ə/
Audio (US): (file)
Noun
barbacoa (uncountable)
- Meat slow-cooked over an open fire, characteristic of Latin American cuisine.
- 2004 January 16, Mike Sula, “The Cooking Life”, in Chicago Reader[1]:
- At first Andablo tried to make barbacoa with cow heads, but something about American beef didn't taste right. "
Related terms
See also
Catalan
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish barbacoa, from Taíno barbakoa.
Pronunciation
Noun
barbacoa f (plural barbacoes)
- barbecue (fireplace or pit for grilling food)
- barbecue (meat that has been cooked in such an apparatus)
Further reading
- “barbacoa”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
- “barbacoa”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
- “barbacoa” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- barbacoa on the Catalan Wikipedia.Wikipedia ca
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Taíno barbakoa (“framework of sticks”), the raised wooden structure the Indians used to either sleep on or cure meat. Originally “meal of roasted meat or fish”.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /baɾbaˈkoa/ [baɾ.β̞aˈko.a]
Audio: (file) - Rhymes: -oa
- Syllabification: bar‧ba‧co‧a
Noun
barbacoa f (plural barbacoas)
- barbecue (fireplace or pit for grilling food)
- meats (traditionally from the inside of a cow's cheek or jaw) or a whole sheep slow cooked over an open fire, or more traditionally, in a hole dug in the ground covered with maguey leaves, although the interpretation is loose
- meat steamed until tender (most common present use)
Derived terms
Descendants
Further reading
- “barbacoa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024
- barbacoa on the Spanish Wikipedia.Wikipedia es