Standard Lemma guide

braai

noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbɹaɪ̯/
  • [ˈbɹwaɪ̯]
  • Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ˈbɹaː/ /aɪ̯/-ungliding
  • [ˈbɹwaː] /aɪ̯/-ungliding
  • rhymes with -aɪ
  • homophone: braille (one pronunciation)

1

noun

Meaning 1

A barbecue (grill), especially an open outdoor grill built specifically for the purpose of braaing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: South-Africa, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A social meeting including the braaing of meat; a cookout.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Botswana, South-Africa, Zimbabwe, countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Come over to our place for a braai.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Meat cooked by this method.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To grill meat over an open flame (not on a gas grill).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: South-Africa, ambitransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Afrikaans braai (“to grill”), from Dutch braden (“roast”).