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Definition of sparerib

sparerib

/ˈspɛrˌrɪb/
spare · rib
Plural:spareribs
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sparerib Lexical Profile

sparerib Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A cut of meat, most commonly pork, consisting of a portion of the lower rib cage where the meat is relatively lean and closely attached to the bone.

Example

"The chef marinated the spareribs in a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce before slow-roasting them to perfection."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for sparerib

Word Nuance & Usage

While 'sparerib' is singular, the word is overwhelmingly used in its plural form ('spareribs') when referring to the culinary dish.

• Nearby Words

spare
sparely
spareness
sparerib
sparganium
sparing
sparingly

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the Middle Low German 'ribbespêr' (meaning ribs roasted on a spit). It was altered in Middle English by folk etymology to 'spare' + 'rib', reflecting the comparatively sparse amount of meat on this specific cut.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sparerib. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sparerib
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