Definition of ketchup

The origin of the word "ketchup" is somewhat debated, but the most widely accepted story dates back to the 17th century. At that time, a popular condiment in Asia was made by fermenting fish, rice, and soybeans. This sauce was called "kecaps" in Malaysia and Indonesia, where British merchants began loading it onto their ships as a preservative for meat. However, when the British arrived in America, they found themselves unable to obtain the fresh fish needed for the recipe. To make do, they substituted vinegar and spices for the fish, creating a new sauce that bore a passing resemblance to the Asian condiment. This sauce, which the British called "catchup," soon became a popular condiment in its own right. The exact origin of the name "ketchup" is less clear, but one popular theory suggests it may have been a corruption of "catchup," or perhaps of the Malayan "kecap," which was already being used in an early form of the English word. Another theory suggests that the name could be a shortening of "exccatip," a compound word meaning "fermented mush," which was used to describe a similar sauce made from mushrooms in Bedfordshire, England. Regardless, by the mid-19th century, ketchup had become a household word in America, where it was not only enjoyed as a condiment but also used as a medicine, thanks to its high vitamin C content. Today, ketchup is globally recognized as a popular condiment made primarily from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and spices.