gratinate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Technical (culinary)
Quick answer
What does “gratinate” mean?
to cook (a dish) by browning its surface under a grill or in an oven.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to cook (a dish) by browning its surface under a grill or in an oven.
To brown the surface of food, especially a dish with a topping like cheese or breadcrumbs, by using high heat; to prepare or serve au gratin.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In both varieties, the term is highly specialized. The process is more commonly described with the phrase "cook au gratin" or simply "brown under the grill/broiler."
Connotations
Suggests a degree of culinary sophistication or formal recipe instruction.
Frequency
Very low frequency in common speech. More likely found in professional recipes or high-end restaurant menus.
Grammar
How to Use “gratinate” in a Sentence
[OBJ] (e.g., Gratinate the potatoes.)[OBJ] + with + [INGREDIENT] (e.g., Gratinate the fish with a parsley crust.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gratinate” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Gratinate the leek and potato soup for five minutes until bubbling.
- For the final step, you should gratinate the assembled dish.
American English
- Gratinate the macaroni and cheese under the broiler.
- The recipe instructs you to gratinate the casserole until the breadcrumbs are crisp.
adverb
British English
- [No adverbial form]
American English
- [No adverbial form]
adjective
British English
- [No common adjectival use. 'Gratinated' is the past participle adjective, e.g., 'gratinated cauliflower']
American English
- [No common adjectival use. 'Gratinated' is the past participle adjective, e.g., 'gratinated oysters']
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually unused.
Academic
Rare, confined to historical or cultural studies of food.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Most speakers would use a paraphrase.
Technical
Standard term in professional culinary writing and recipe instructions.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gratinate”
- Using it to mean 'to grate' (e.g., 'Gratinate the cheese' is wrong if you mean shred it).
- Using it outside a cooking context.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Baking is a broader cooking method. To gratinate specifically means to brown the top surface of an already-cooked or assembled dish using direct, high heat from above.
No, it is exclusively a culinary term. Using it metaphorically would be highly unusual and likely misunderstood.
'Gratinate' describes the purpose (creating a browned crust on a finished dish), while 'grill/broil' describes the cooking method (applying heat from above). You grill/broil *in order to* gratinate.
No, it is very rare in everyday conversation. It is primarily used in formal recipe writing, culinary schools, and professional kitchen contexts. Most people would say "brown it under the grill/broiler" or "cook it au gratin."
to cook (a dish) by browning its surface under a grill or in an oven.
Gratinate is usually formal, technical (culinary) in register.
Gratinate: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡræt.ɪ.neɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡræt.ən.eɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of GRATInate – it's what you do to make a dish 'au GRATin' (with a browned topping).
Conceptual Metaphor
COOKING IS FINISHING (A surface treatment that completes a dish).
Practice
Quiz
What does it mean to 'gratinate' a dish?