Definition of "ketchup" in English

noun

1. (uncountable, chiefly US, Canada, UK) Ellipsis of tomato ketchup (“a tomato-vinegar-based sauce, sometimes containing spices, onion or garlic, and (especially in the US) sweeteners”).

   • tomato ketchup
   • This diner serves ketchup in red bottles, and mustard in yellow ones.

2. (countable, now rare) Such a sauce more generally (not necessarily based on tomatoes, but with mushrooms, fish, etc.). This is the older meaning.

verb

1. (transitive) To cover with ketchup.