grill
grihl
Grill (noun) means a rack of metal bars used for cooking food over direct heat. Example: “We fired up the grill for burgers on Saturday afternoon.”
noun
1
A rack of metal bars used for cooking food over direct heat.
"We fired up the grill for burgers on Saturday afternoon."
"The steak had perfect grill marks across it."
"Please scrub the grill before the guests arrive for the barbecue."
verb
1
To cook food over direct heat, typically outdoors.
"He grilled chicken and vegetables for the whole family."
"They grilled fish over an open fire at the campsite."
"I like to grill sausages and corn on the cob when the weather is warm."
2
To question someone intensively and aggressively.
"The detective grilled the suspect for hours."
"My parents grilled me about where I'd been all night."
"The interviewer grilled the minister about the plan for over twenty minutes."
How to use grill
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the metal cooking rack itself, cooking on one, or (informally) questioning someone hard.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
fire up the grill
grill someone about something
grilled to perfection
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Word forms
- Plural
- grills
- Third person singular
- grills
- Past tense
- grilled
- Comparative
- griller, more grill
- Superlative
- grillest, most grill
Fill the gap
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We fired up the _____ for burgers on Saturday afternoon.
Etymology
Borrowed in the 1600s from French gril, tracing back to Latin craticula, a small version of cratis meaning "wickerwork" — the same root that gives us "griddle" and "hurdle."
Class of 1600
grill joined the language around 1600.
See the full Class of 1600 →
Synonyms
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Rhymes for grill
See all rhymes for grill →Frequently asked questions
What does “grill” mean?
The word “grill” means a rack of metal bars used for cooking food over direct heat. In plain terms, either the metal cooking rack itself, cooking on one, or (informally) questioning someone hard.
How do you pronounce “grill”?
“Grill” is pronounced grihl (/ɡɹɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “grill” in a sentence?
Here is “grill” used in a sentence: “We fired up the grill for burgers on Saturday afternoon.”
What part of speech is “grill”?
Depending on how it is used, “grill” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “grill” come from?
The word “grill” dates back to around 1600 and comes from Latin. Borrowed in the 1600s from French gril, tracing back to Latin craticula, a small version of cratis meaning "wickerwork" — the same root that gives us "griddle" and "hurdle.".
Is “grill” a common word?
“Grill” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “grill” have?
“Grill” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a rack of metal bars used for cooking food over direct heat.
What is the difference between a grill and a barbecue?
A grill is the equipment itself, a rack of metal bars used to cook food over direct heat, while "barbecue" often refers to the cooking event or a style of slow, indirect cooking with smoke. In everyday speech the two words overlap heavily, especially in American English where "grill" and "barbecue" (or "BBQ") are often used interchangeably for the same outdoor cooking device.
When does grill mean to question someone rather than cook food?
Grill shifts to this figurative sense when the object is a person rather than food, as in "the police grilled the suspect for hours." It describes questioning someone intensively and aggressively, drawing on the idea of subjecting them to sustained pressure or heat.
Is grill used the same way in British and American English?
There is a key difference: in British English, "the grill" often refers to the overhead broiler element inside an oven, while in American English "the grill" typically means an outdoor barbecue-style cooking device. Both dialects share the verb sense of grilling food over direct heat.
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