sandwich
SAN-wihj
Sandwich (noun) means Food made by putting a filling between two slices of bread. Example: “Would you like a ham and tomato sandwich with your soup?”
noun
1
Food made by putting a filling between two slices of bread.
"Would you like a ham and tomato sandwich with your soup?"
"She packed a cheese sandwich for lunch."
"He grabbed a quick sandwich between meetings."
2
Any arrangement with one layer squeezed between two others.
"The cake is a sandwich of sponge, jam and thick cream."
"Our new wall panels are a sandwich of wood, foam and metal."
"The bridge deck is a sandwich of steel and concrete."
verb
1
To fit something tightly between two other things.
"I found myself sandwiched between two enormous suitcases on the crowded train."
"They sandwiched a rest day between the two long hikes."
"The photo was sandwiched between two pieces of glass."
How to use sandwich
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBread with a filling, or more generally anything squeezed between two layers.
Memory tip
As a verb, "sandwich" almost always needs "between": you sandwich something between two other things.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
a cheese sandwich
sandwiched between
club sandwich
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Word forms
- Plural
- sandwiches, sandwichs
- Third person singular
- sandwiches
- Past tense
- sandwiched
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Would you like a ham and tomato _____ with your soup?
Etymology
Named after the Earl of Sandwich, said to have ordered meat between bread so he could keep gambling without stopping to eat.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “sandwich” mean?
The word “sandwich” means food made by putting a filling between two slices of bread. In plain terms, bread with a filling, or more generally anything squeezed between two layers.
How do you pronounce “sandwich”?
“Sandwich” is pronounced SAN-wihj (/ˈsænˌ(d)wɪt͡ʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “sandwich” in a sentence?
Here is “sandwich” used in a sentence: “She packed a cheese sandwich for lunch.”
What is another word for “sandwich”?
Words with a similar meaning to “sandwich” include butty, grinder, piece, sambo, sammich and sammie.
What part of speech is “sandwich”?
Depending on how it is used, “sandwich” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “sandwich” a common word?
“Sandwich” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “sandwich” have?
“Sandwich” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: food made by putting a filling between two slices of bread.
What is the difference between a sandwich and a wrap?
A sandwich places a filling between two separate slices of bread. A wrap encloses the filling in a single rolled flatbread or tortilla, so the key difference is two slices versus one folded piece of bread.
Can sandwich be used as a verb?
Yes. As a verb, sandwich means to squeeze something tightly between two other things, as in 'he was sandwiched between two strangers on the train.' It mirrors the noun's image of a filling held between two layers.
What is the difference between a sandwich and a sub or grinder?
A sandwich is the general term for a filling between two slices of bread. A sub or grinder is a specific type of sandwich made on a long roll and cut lengthwise, so all subs are sandwiches but not all sandwiches are subs.
Does an open sandwich count as a sandwich?
An open sandwich has just one slice of bread with the filling on top and no second slice. It is still commonly called a sandwich by extension, even though it lacks the two-slice arrangement of the classic definition.
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