meat loaf
Definition
- Noun:
- A baked dish made from ground meat: "meat loaf" refers to a specific food item consisting of ground meat (typically beef, pork, veal, or a combination) that is mixed with other ingredients, shaped into a loaf, and baked.
Usage
- "Meat loaf" is used as a singular, countable noun to describe the prepared dish.
- It is commonly served as a main course, often sliced.
- Example:
Examples
Advanced Usage
- The term can be used metaphorically to describe something dense, substantial, or mixed from various components, though this is informal.
- That new policy is a real meat loaf of conflicting ideas.
- It can appear in compound adjectives describing the dish.
- A meat-loaf dinner is a classic comfort food.
Variants and Related Words
- Meatloaf (noun): A common alternative spelling, written as one word.
- Loaf (noun): A shaped mass of bread or other food. In "meat loaf," it refers to the shape.
- Ground meat (noun phrase): The primary ingredient.
Synonyms
- Paté (noun): A seasoned ground meat mixture, though typically finer in texture and served cold or at room temperature.
- Terrine (noun): A French dish similar to a meat loaf, often cooked in a pottery container and served cold.
Related Phrases
- Meat loaf pan (noun phrase): A specific kitchen pan, often with perforations, designed for baking meat loaf.
- Meat loaf sandwich (noun phrase): A sandwich made with sliced meat loaf as the filling.
Noun
-
a baked loaf of ground meat
