culinary

adjective

cu·​li·​nary ˈkə-lə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce culinary (audio) ˈkyü- How to pronounce culinary (audio) ˈkü- How to pronounce culinary (audio)
: of or relating to the kitchen or cookery
culinary arts
culinary recipes
culinary schools
culinarily
ˌkə-lə-ˈner-ə-lē How to pronounce culinary (audio)
ˌkyü-, 
ˌkü-
adverb

Examples of culinary in a Sentence

They serve a variety of culinary delights.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The two major destinations are Stellenbosch, a university town surrounded by vineyards, and Franschhoek, which is more quaint and widely considered the culinary and viticultural capital. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026 Corbin’s culinary career began two years after a prison release, and with no formal training. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Castro will receive the Humanitarian Award for his 25-year-long career in the food industry as an executive chef, private chef, culinary instructor and restaurant owner. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 Chefs are fond of saying that the culinary business is in their blood, but for Alex Kuk, the adage rings true. — Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for culinary

Word History

Etymology

Latin culinarius, from culina kitchen — more at kiln

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of culinary was in 1638

Rhymes for culinary

See All Rhymes for culinary

Browse Nearby Words

culinarian
culinary
Culino
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Culinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culinary. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

culinary

adjective
cul·​i·​nary
ˈkəl-ə-ˌner-ē, 
ˈkyü-lə-
: of or relating to the kitchen or cooking
culinary workers
culinary skills
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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