Sparerib Meaning
/ˌspɛəˈɹɪb/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA cut of meat including the rib bones.
Sentence Examples
The chef prepared a plate of delicious and spicy pork spareribs.
A sparerib is a cut of meat taken from the rib area of a pig.
He ordered a barbecued sparerib platter at the restaurant.
CEFR Practice Quiz
He bought a juicy ____ from the butcher for the weekend barbecue.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
For the backyard barbecue, he marinated the ____ in a smoky and sweet sauce for several hours.
Word Origin & History
Probably borrowed from Low German ribbesper, from Middle Low German ribbespêr (“spare-ribs”), from ribbe (“rib”) + sper (“spear; spit”), from Old Saxon ribbi + sper, from Proto-Germanic *ribją + *speru. The word was transposed, with the first element becoming confused with English spare due to folk-etymology. Compare also English ribspare (rare, modern uses dialectal).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"SPARERIBS AND SAUERKRAUT […] Place sauerkraut in greased baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar. Brown spareribs under broiler heat, season and place on sauerkraut."
— 1976, Ruth Berolzheimer, editor, Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook, new rev. edition, Chicago, Ill.: Culinary Arts Institute, →ISBN, page 384:
"Winter Melon, Pearl Barley, and Sparerib Soup […] Place spareribs, chicken giblets, scallops along with their soaking liquid, pearl barley, orange peel, ginger, and winter melon in a large pot along with 4 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat."
— 2009, Teresa M. Chen, A Tradition of Soup: Flavors from China's Pearl River Delta, Berkeley, Calif.: North Atlantic Books, →ISBN, page 134:
"Spareribs and barbecue sandwiches star on the menu."
— 2011, Darwin Porter, Danforth Prince, Frommer's Portable Savannah, Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 65:
"Texans will want lightly seasoned (with salt and pepper) or unseasoned slow-smoked dry ribs with barbecue sauce or hot sauce on the side – and given their druthers, spareribs will be preferred over baby backs. […] A full slab of pork spareribs should have about 12 rib bones."
— 2012, Ardie A. Davis, Paul Kirk, America's Best Ribs, Kansas City, Mo.: Andrews McMeel Publishing, →ISBN, page 4:
"Pork spare ribs are the original ribs. They come from the side of the hog and are part rib bone, part cartilage from the sternum of the hog. Historically, the side ribs weren't a desirable part of the hog and were left for the hired help to eat, thus the term "spare.""
— 2012, Ray Lampe, Ribs, Chops, Steaks & Wings: Irresistible Recipes for the Grill, Stovetop, and Oven, San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books, →ISBN, page 18:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
He bought a juicy ____ from the butcher for the weekend barbecue.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
For the backyard barbecue, he marinated the ____ in a smoky and sweet sauce for several hours.