marinade

/ˌˈmɛrəˌˈneɪd/

/ˈmærɪneɪd/

Other forms: marinades; marinaded

A marinade is a flavorful liquid that food is soaked in before being cooked. Before grilling chicken, you should let the meat sit in a marinade.

Most marinades include spices, oil, and something acidic, like lemon juice or vinegar. Some recipes call for leaving food in a marinade briefly, while others instruct you to leave food in a marinade for days. This is a good way to make a tough cut of meat more tender. When you use a marinade, you marinate — both words come from the French mariner, "to pickle in sea brine," from the Latin marinus, "of the sea."

Definitions of marinade

1. noun

   mixtures of vinegar or wine and oil with various spices and seasonings; used for soaking foods before cooking
   type of:

   condiment

   a preparation (a sauce or relish or spice) to enhance flavor or enjoyment
2. verb

   soak in marinade
   “marinade herring”

   synonyms: marinate

   type of:

   infuse, steep

   let sit in a liquid to extract a flavor or to cleanse