Definition of "marinate" in English

verb

1. (ergative) To allow a sauce or flavoring mixture to absorb into something; to steep or soak something in a marinade to flavor or prepare it for cooking.

   • You'll get a better flavour from the chicken if you marinate it first.
   • After the chicken has marinated for two hours, discard the remaining marinade.

2. (intransitive) Of ideas or feelings, to mentally develop over time.

3. (figurative, informal) Especially of a haircut, to settle in and for one to get used to it.

   • It's not a bad haircut! You just got to let it marinate!

adjective

1. (rare) Marinated.