What does broth mean?
Broth is a thin, savoury liquid produced by gently simmering meat, poultry, fish, bones, or vegetables in water. It may be strained and served on its own — often as a light meal or a remedy for illness — or used as the flavourful foundation for soups, stews, gravies, and sauces. Cooks commonly distinguish broth from stock: stock is typically unseasoned and valued for its body, while broth is seasoned and intended to be tasted on its own. The word carries warm, comforting associations, evoking home cooking, convalescence, and simple nourishment; phrases such as 'chicken broth', 'bone broth', and 'a bowl of broth' are firmly established in everyday English. Derived from ancient Germanic roots connected to brewing and heating liquids, broth has long been part of culinary vocabulary across the English-speaking world. It functions grammatically as a noun, usually uncountable, though a countable plural ('broths') appears when referring to different varieties.
nounA thin, savoury liquid made by simmering meat, fish, bones, or vegetables in water, typically served as a base for soup or eaten on its own.
- A thin, clear liquid made by simmering meat, bones, or vegetables in water, used as a base for soups or eaten on its own.
- An unstrained liquid in which something has been boiled (less common, e.g. 'scalding broth').
"She sipped a warm bowl of chicken broth to soothe her cold."
"He ladled steaming beef broth over the noodles."
"The nurse offered the patient only clear broth during recovery."
Rarely used; broth is normally an uncountable mass noun. The plural appears chiefly when contrasting different kinds of broth.
"The menu offered several rich broths, from miso to French onion."
The word 'broth' and 'brew' share an ancient root — your soup was literally once called something you could also do to beer.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of broth
Broth derives from Old English 'broth', meaning a liquid in which something has been boiled, which itself traces back to Proto-Germanic '*bruthan-', related to the verb 'brew'. This makes 'broth' and 'brew' true cognates within English, both stemming from the same ancient Germanic root concerning heated or fermented liquids. Cognates appear in other Germanic languages, such as Old Norse 'bruoðr'. The word has been part of English since its earliest recorded stages, retaining its core meaning of a boiled liquid food.
Related word forms
How broth is actually used
Broth is a neutral, everyday word with homely connotations of comfort and nourishment. In American English, 'broth' and 'stock' are sometimes used loosely interchangeably, though cooks generally distinguish them: stock is unseasoned and gelatinous, broth is seasoned and drinkable. The plural form is rare because broth is usually treated as an uncountable mass noun.
Easily confused with broth
A brooch is an ornamental pin fastened to clothing, whereas broth is a liquid food; the words differ mainly in spelling and pronunciation.
Stock is an unseasoned or lightly seasoned base made from simmered bones, while broth is seasoned and often served on its own as a finished dish.