noun
jerky
Meat cut into strips and dried.
The hiker packs strips of beef jerky for the trail.
Etymology
The word comes through Spanish from Quechua charki, meaning dried meat. It preserves the name of a food prepared for keeping by drying it.
More examples
- She shared the jerky.
- The shop sold several kinds of jerky.
- The jerky had a smoky flavor.
Forms
jerky
Similar words
- biltong
- A different dried-meat preparation, usually thicker before slicing.
- cured meat
- A broader category not always dried into strips.