What does catsup mean?
Catsup is a noun denoting the familiar thick, sweet-and-tangy condiment made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and spices — in other words, it is simply a variant form of the word ketchup rather than a different product. The term arose through divergent English spellings of the same borrowed word and became firmly established in American English, where it appears on older bottles, in regional dialects, and in traditional recipes. Today its use signals something slightly old-fashioned or folksy, since ketchup has become the overwhelmingly dominant spelling and pronunciation in both Britain and the United States. A speaker might ask for the catsup at a roadside diner or encounter it in a family recipe for homemade catsup spiced with onion and cloves. For learners, the practical takeaway is simple: catsup and ketchup refer to exactly the same sauce, and choosing ketchup will always sound current, while catsup adds a touch of Americana or nostalgia.
nounA variant spelling and pronunciation of ketchup: a thick, tangy sauce made chiefly from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and spices, used as a condiment.
- The tomato-based condiment sauce (a variant of ketchup).
"He squirted a generous swirl of catsup over his fries."
"She reached across the diner table for the catsup."
"Grandma's recipe still calls for homemade catsup simmered with onions and allspice."
Rarely pluralized; used only when referring to multiple bottles or varieties.
"The pantry shelf held several homemade catsups from last summer's harvest."
Catsup and ketchup are the same sauce with two centuries of spelling rivalry — and 'catsup' once even appeared in a famous 1890s campaign slogan, 'Catsup' on Heinz bottles until the company standardized on 'ketchup' in the early 20th century.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of catsup
Catsup and ketchup are variant forms of a single word borrowed into English in the late 17th century, most likely via Malay 'kecap' from a Chinese (Hokkien) source such as 'kôe-chiap', originally naming a fermented fish or brine sauce rather than anything tomato-based. Early English recipes used mushrooms, walnuts, or anchovies; the tomato version emerged in 19th-century America. The spelling 'catsup' flourished in American English before gradually yielding to 'ketchup'.
How catsup is actually used
Catsup is primarily an American English form, now somewhat old-fashioned or regional compared with 'ketchup', which dominates in both British and American usage. It carries a slightly retro, folksy flavor in contemporary writing.
Easily confused with catsup
Ketchup is the standard modern spelling for the same tomato condiment, while catsup is an older, now largely American regional or traditional variant.