ketchup

noun

ketch·​up ˈke-chəp  ˈka- 

variants or less commonly catchup

ˈke-chəp  ˈka- 

or catsup

ˈke-chəp  ˈka-  ˈkat-səp 

: a seasoned pureed condiment usually made from tomatoes

Examples of ketchup in a Sentence

She put ketchup on her hamburger.

Recent Examples on the Web

Chicago Chicago is a foodie city, and Chicagoans are most passionate about their deep-dish pizzas and their unique ketchup-free hot dogs. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026

Toss that into a baking dish, shingle frozen tater tots on top, and serve it with condiments like ketchup, mustard, and BBQ sauce. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Apr. 2026

Drowning a piece in soy is the dining equivalent of pouring ketchup on an expensive cut of steak. —Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026

But the popularity of this food court item is likely the combination of a juicy quarter-pound all-beef hot dog served on a soft, fluffy bun, with ketchup, mustard, relish, and onions to top things off. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed, directly or via Malay kecap (phonetically kətʃap) "fish sauce," from Southern Min (Chinese dialects of southeast Fujian) kôe-chiap (Xiamen), kê-chiap (Zhangzhou), from kôe, kê "salted or pickled fish or shellfish" + chiap "juice, sap"

First Known Use

circa 1690, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ketchup

• tomato ketchup

Rhymes for ketchup

• catsup

Kids Definition

ketchup

noun

ketch·​up

variants also catchup

ˈkech-əp, 

ˈkach-

or catsup

ˈkech-əp 

ˈkach-;

ˈkat-səp

: a thick seasoned sauce usually made from tomatoes