ketchup
3 synonyms for ketchup, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A thick, tangy tomato-based sauce commonly used as a condiment.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
catsup
cetchup
tomato ketchup
How to use ketchup
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
tomato ketchup
bottle of ketchup
ketchup packet
Etymology
Likely from a Hokkien Chinese word for fish sauce, passed through Malay into English in the late 1600s; early English "ketchup" referred to various savory sauces long before tomato ketchup became standard in the 19th century.
Full origin of ketchup →Frequently asked questions
What does “ketchup” mean?
The word “ketchup” means a thick, tangy tomato-based sauce commonly used as a condiment. In plain terms, the everyday tomato sauce found on tables everywhere; historically the word covered many kinds of sauce, not just tomato.
How do you pronounce “ketchup”?
“Ketchup” is pronounced KEHCH-uhp (/ˈkɛt͡ʃ.əp/ in IPA).
How do you use “ketchup” in a sentence?
Here is “ketchup” used in a sentence: “He squeezed ketchup all over his chips.”
What part of speech is “ketchup”?
Depending on how it is used, “ketchup” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “ketchup” come from?
The word “ketchup” dates back to around 1600 and comes from Chinese.
Is “ketchup” a common word?
“Ketchup” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “ketchup” have?
“Ketchup” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a thick, tangy tomato-based sauce commonly used as a condiment.
Related words
black pepper
cherry sauce
chili sauce
chowchow
cucumber relish
fish sauce
green relish
ground black pepper
ground pepper
hoisin sauce
malt vinegar
mayonnaise
mustard
mustard sauce
oyster flavor sauce
