noun

marinade

marih-NAYD

noun

A flavoured liquid, often containing an acid like vinegar or citrus, that food is soaked in before cooking.

"She mixed soy sauce, garlic and ginger into a marinade for the chicken."

"Leave the steak in the marinade for at least two hours."

verb

To soak food in such a liquid; a less common variant of "marinate."

"He marinaded the vegetables overnight."

How to Use Marinade

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe seasoned liquid you soak meat, fish or vegetables in before cooking, to add flavour and tenderness.

Common mistake

As a verb, "marinate" is far more common than "marinade" — many style guides consider the verb use of "marinade" nonstandard.

Common pairings

a spicy marinade marinade for chicken soak in a marinade

marinaded past tense, marinades plural, marinades singular

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She mixed soy sauce, garlic and ginger into a _____ for the chicken.

From French marinade, built on "marine" (of the sea) plus the suffix "-ade," since early versions used seawater or brine.

Ade made jade wade fade sade Bade Cade Dade trade blade spade