broiler: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to technical depending on context (culinary, farming, appliance retail).
Quick answer
What does “broiler” mean?
A young chicken bred and raised specifically for its meat, typically cooked by broiling or roasting.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A young chicken bred and raised specifically for its meat, typically cooked by broiling or roasting.
1) An appliance, part of an oven or a separate unit, that produces intense overhead heat for cooking food quickly. 2) (Informal, US) A period or situation of intense, oppressive heat.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The appliance meaning is more common in American English; UK speakers often say 'grill' for both the appliance and the cooking method. The 'heat wave' sense is primarily American.
Connotations
Neutral for meat/appliance. The 'heat wave' sense carries a negative, uncomfortable connotation.
Frequency
Meat sense is common in both. Appliance sense is high frequency in US, low in UK. Informal 'heat' sense is low frequency and regionally specific.
Grammar
How to Use “broiler” in a Sentence
cook + (sth) + under/on the broilerraise/grow + broilerspreheat + the broilerVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “broiler” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not standard as a verb]
American English
- [Not standard as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not used as an adverb]
American English
- [Not used as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- [Rarely used attributively, e.g., 'broiler production']
American English
- The broiler industry is concentrated in several states.
- She prefers broiler hens for her recipes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to the poultry farming sector and market ('The broiler market saw a 5% increase in yield').
Academic
Used in agricultural, biological, and food science contexts ('The study examined growth rates in hybrid broilers').
Everyday
Refers to cooking method or chicken purchase ('I'll just finish the salmon under the broiler').
Technical
Specifies appliance components or husbandry practices ('Adjust the broiler element's radiant distance').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “broiler”
- Using 'boiler' (for heating water) instead of 'broiler'. Confusing 'broil' (US) with 'grill' (UK).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In US English, a broiler generates heat from above the food, while a grill typically heats from below. In UK English, 'grill' refers to the overhead cooking function (what US calls 'broiler'), and 'barbecue' or 'grill' refers to the outdoor appliance.
Yes, that is its primary meaning: a chicken bred specifically for rapid growth and meat production, as opposed to egg-laying ('layer').
It is standard and neutral. Its formality depends on context; it is technical in farming/appliance contexts and informal in the US 'heat wave' sense.
It is almost exclusively a noun. It can be used attributively as an adjective (e.g., 'broiler chicken'), but not predicatively.
A young chicken bred and raised specifically for its meat, typically cooked by broiling or roasting.
Broiler: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbrɔɪlə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbrɔɪlər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None specific to 'broiler']”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'broil' (to cook with direct heat) + '-er' (the thing that does it or is meant for it). A broiler is either the cooker or the to-be-cooked.
Conceptual Metaphor
INTENSE HEAT IS A COOKING APPLIANCE (e.g., 'This city is a broiler in August').
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is 'broiler' commonly used to describe a period of intense heat?