/ ˈbɑːbɪkjuː; NAmE ˈbɑːrb-/ noun , verb
■ noun ( abbr. BBQ ) (also informal bar·bie BrE , AustralE )
1.
a metal frame for cooking food on over an open fire outdoors :
I put another steak on the barbecue.
a barbecue sausage (= cooked in this way)
2.
an outdoor meal or party when food is cooked in this way :
Let's have a barbecue!
—compare cookout
■ verb
[ v , vn ] to cook food on a barbecue
—compare broil
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: from Spanish barbacoa , perhaps from Arawak barbacoa wooden frame on posts. The original sense was wooden framework for sleeping on, or for storing meat or fish to be dried .