kebab

noun

ke·​bab kə-ˈbäb How to pronounce kebab (audio)
also
ˈkā-ˌbäb How to pronounce kebab (audio)
variants or kebob or less commonly kabob
: cubes of meat (such as lamb or beef) marinated and cooked with vegetables usually on a skewer

Examples of kebab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Among those seasonal favorites is the bell pepper, which adds crunch, color and sweetness to everything from veggie trays and salads to pizzas, fajitas, kebabs and stir-fries. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 29 July 2026 On a breezy summer evening, lovers of Eastern Mediterranean mezze sit under patio umbrellas at Zaytinya, a restaurant from José Andrés, the humanitarian chef who founded the World Central Kitchen, and graze on kebabs, flatbreads, salads and spreads. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 28 July 2026 The nearly 30-year-old restaurant is known best for its kebabs paired with Iranian rice dishes. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026 The robot grilled kebabs and skewered meat, carrying out tasks that required precise hand, wrist, and arm coordination as well as careful force control when handling soft, uneven ingredients. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for kebab

Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Arabic or Persian kabāb, from Turkish kebap

First Known Use

1673, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kebab was in 1673

Phrases Containing kebab

Rhymes for kebab

See All Rhymes for kebab

Browse Nearby Words

keawe
kebab
kebbie
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kebab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kebab. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of invidious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All