noun
spareribs
SPAIR-ribz/ˈspɛrˌrɪbz/
Pork or beef ribs prepared as food.
Three cooked pork spareribs sit on a small plate.
Etymology
On the English compound explanation, “spare” probably describes an absence of fat on the ribs. Alternatively, the dish’s name may come from a Middle Low German term originally meaning a spit thrust through rib-meat.
More examples
- She brushes the spareribs with sauce before serving them.
- We order beef spareribs and a side of coleslaw.
- He picks up a sparerib and bites off the tender meat.
Forms
spareribs · sparerib
rib noun — One of the curved chest bones.
Similar words
- ribs
- A broader term that also names the bones themselves.