Ketchup

/ˈkɛtʃəp/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A thick sauce made from tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar, often used as a condiment.

He added ketchup to his fries for extra flavor.

A similar sauce made from other fruits or vegetables, such as mushroom ketchup.

Mushroom ketchup is used as a seasoning in many Asian dishes.

The word 'ketchup' is believed to be derived from the Hokkien Chinese word 'kê-tsiap,' a fermented fish sauce.

ketchup on the side

Request for ketchup to be served separate from the main dish.

catch up with ketchup

To finish something slowly, implying it took longer than expected.

sauce

A liquid or semi-liquid substance served with food for flavor.

condiment

A substance used to add flavor to food, such as salt, mustard, or ketchup.

Ketchup as a metaphor for something added to improve a situation.

We need to ketchup this project before the deadline.

Used to describe someone who is playing catch-up in a competition or situation.

She's always playing ketchup with her classmates.