noun
cooking
KUU-kihng
noun
1
The activity or process of preparing food by heating it.
"Cooking dinner for eight people takes some planning."
"He took up cooking as a hobby during lockdown."
2
A particular style or standard of food preparation.
"Her cooking is famous in the neighborhood."
adjective
1
Suitable for use in preparing food rather than for eating or drinking on its own.
"Use cooking wine, not the good bottle, for the sauce."
"The recipe calls for cooking chocolate rather than a chocolate bar."
How to Use Cooking
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe act of making food with heat, or (as an adjective) an ingredient meant only for use in recipes.
Common pairings
home cooking
cooking oil
cooking wine
do the cooking
Word Forms
cookings plural
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_____ dinner for eight people takes some planning.
Etymology
Formed from cook plus the ending -ing, used both as the ordinary noun for the activity and as an adjective for ingredients meant for the kitchen rather than the table.