cuisine

cuisine — noun

1. a way of preparing and cooking food that belongs to a specific country, region,

1.nounB1
Definition

a way of preparing and cooking food that belongs to a specific country, region, or cultural tradition — for example, Japanese cuisine relies heavily on fresh fish and rice, while Mexican cuisine makes wide use of corn, beans, and chillies.

Example

The hotel restaurant serves traditional Japanese cuisine made with fresh local vegetables.

collocation: traditional + [nationality] + cuisine

Élise enrolled in a three-month intensive course on classic French cuisine.

collocation: course/class in + cuisine

Common collocations
  • [nationality/region] cuisine
  • traditional cuisine
  • local cuisine
  • haute cuisine
  • fusion cuisine
  • cuisine of [place]
  • street-food cuisine
  • home-style cuisine
Synonyms
  • cooking

    more general and everyday; refers to the process and its results rather than a codified tradition

  • fare

    more formal or literary; often describes the type of food offered at a particular place or event

  • gastronomy

    more intellectual and academic; refers to the art and science of good eating, not everyday meals

  • food

    the broadest term; any edible substance, without implying style or tradition

Grammar Patterns

[nationality/region] + cuisine

cuisine + of + [place]

Usage Note

Frequently preceded by a nationality, region, or cultural label (e.g., Italian cuisine, vegan cuisine, street-food cuisine). Unlike food, which refers to anything edible, cuisine implies a deliberate tradition or style. Distinguish from cooking, which is the activity, not the body of traditions.

Common Mistakes

I really enjoy my mother's cuisine.
I really enjoy my mother's cooking.
cuisine refers to a regional or cultural tradition, not a single person's home-cooked meals.
We bought some cuisine at the supermarket.
We bought some food at the supermarket.
cuisine is a style or tradition, not a general term for edible items.
Italian cuisine are famous around the world.
Italian cuisine is famous around the world.
cuisine is uncountable and takes a singular verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words relate to what people eat, but they differ in scope and register. Cuisine (B1) points to a recognisable style or tradition — you talk about Thai cuisine or haute cuisine, not 'my family's cuisine.' Cooking (A1–A2) is the broad, everyday word for both the activity and the result: 'I love Italian cooking' is natural, while 'I love Italian cuisine' sounds more studied. Fare (C1) is more formal and limited in context; usually paired with a descriptor (simple fare, vegetarian fare) and common in writing about restaurants or events. Gastronomy (C2) sits at the academic end — it covers the theory, culture, and history of food, not what you eat for dinner. Food (A1) is the most general term and can replace almost any of the others, though it loses the nuance of style, artistry, or context. In daily conversation, 'cooking' or 'food' is usually the right choice; 'cuisine' adds a note of cultural identity or refinement.

cuisine ↗cooking ↗fare ↗gastronomyfood ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • fine dining
  • street food
  • local fare

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Cuisine entered English in the late 18th century from French, where it simply meant 'kitchen' — the room where food is prepared. French had inherited the word from Latin coquina (kitchen), which in turn came from coquere (to cook). Over the 19th century the meaning shifted from the place to the style of cooking associated with it, especially in the context of fine dining and national food traditions. Today it has no connection to the physical kitchen; it refers entirely to a cultural or regional cooking tradition.