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Definition of corned beef
corned beef
• noun
1
American A cut of beef, typically brisket, that has been cured in a seasoned brine and is usually slow-cooked or boiled before being served sliced.
Example
"Every March, the local deli serves traditional platters of hot corned beef and cabbage."
2
British Minced, salted beef that has been cooked and pressed into a solid block, typically sold in a distinctive rectangular tin and eaten cold.
Example
"She made a batch of hearty sandwiches using thickly sliced tomatoes and tinned corned beef."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for corned beefWord Nuance & Usage
In American English, corned beef refers to a whole cut of cured brisket typically served hot and sliced, whereas in British English, it generally denotes finely minced, canned salt beef.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Corned beef. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/corned-beef