bone broth: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, Health & Wellness, Culinary
Quick answer
What does “bone broth” mean?
A nutritious liquid made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue in water for an extended period, extracting collagen, minerals, and other compounds.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A nutritious liquid made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue in water for an extended period, extracting collagen, minerals, and other compounds.
A culinary and wellness product, often consumed for its perceived health benefits, including support for joint, gut, and skin health, derived from a traditional method of preparing stock.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used identically in both varieties. The concept is traditional in many cuisines, but the specific lexical compound 'bone broth' has gained prominence globally through health and wellness trends.
Connotations
In both, it carries strong connotations of health, nutrition, and 'clean eating'. It may also have slight connotations of being a fashionable or trendy health product.
Frequency
Frequency is similarly high in health-conscious circles in both the UK and US. It might be marginally more prevalent in American wellness marketing, but the difference is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “bone broth” in a Sentence
drink [bone broth]make/prepare/simmer [bone broth]use [bone broth] as a baseadd [bone broth] to the soupstrain [bone broth]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bone broth” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I'm going to bone-broth a chicken carcass all weekend.
- She bones and broths her own organic meats.
American English
- We should bone broth those turkey leftovers.
- He's really into bone brothing his own grass-fed beef bones.
adjective
British English
- The bone-broth trend shows no sign of slowing.
- She follows a strict bone-broth diet.
American English
- The bone broth movement is huge here.
- They opened a bone broth bar in the city centre.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in marketing for health food companies, cafes, and supplement brands (e.g., 'Our new line of shelf-stable bone broths').
Academic
May appear in nutritional science, food history, or public health research on dietary trends.
Everyday
Common in conversations about cooking, health routines, dieting, and wellness tips.
Technical
Used in culinary arts and nutrition to specify a type of broth with a defined preparation method and nutritional profile.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bone broth”
- Using 'bone broth' interchangeably with 'stock' in formal culinary writing where the distinction matters.
- Misspelling as 'bonebroth' (should be two words or hyphenated: 'bone-broth').
- Pronouncing 'broth' with a voiced 'th' as in 'breathe'; it is voiceless /θ/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. While both are made from bones, bone broth is typically simmered for a much longer time (12-48 hours) to extract more collagen, gelatin, and minerals, giving it a richer nutritional profile and a more gelatinous consistency when cooled.
Advocates claim it supports joint health due to gelatin, aids gut health, improves skin elasticity from collagen, and provides easily absorbed minerals. However, robust scientific evidence for all these benefits in humans is still limited.
Yes, it is simple but time-consuming. Cover bones (often roasted first) with water, add vinegar to help draw out minerals, and simmer on very low heat for 12 to 48 hours, skimming occasionally, before straining.
No, traditional bone broth is made from animal bones. Vegetarian alternatives aiming for similar umami and nutrient profiles might use mushrooms, seaweed, and long-simmered vegetables, but these are not 'bone' broths.
A nutritious liquid made by simmering animal bones and connective tissue in water for an extended period, extracting collagen, minerals, and other compounds.
Bone broth is usually informal, health & wellness, culinary in register.
Bone broth: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbəʊn ˌbrɒθ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈboʊn ˌbrɔːθ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: BONE gives it strength, BROTH is the result. To make it, you BROTH-er the BONES for a long time.
Conceptual Metaphor
HEALTH IS LIQUID NOURISHMENT / MEDICINE IS FOOD ('drinking your way to health').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary semantic nuance that distinguishes 'bone broth' from 'stock' in contemporary usage?