Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The hard fatty tissues around the kidneys of cattle and sheep, used in cooking and for making tallow.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The fatty tissue about the loins and kidneys of certain animals, as the ox, the sheep, the goat, and the hart, harder and less fusible than that from other parts of the same animals.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The fat and fatty tissues of an animal, especially the harder fat about the kidneys and loins in beef and mutton, which, when melted and freed from the membranes, forms tallow.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The fatty tissue that surrounds and protects the kidneys; that of sheep and cattle is used in cooking and in making tallow.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun hard fat around the kidneys and loins in beef and sheep

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman *suet, accusative of sue, tallow, variant of Old French sieu, from Latin sēbum.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English sewet, from Anglo-Norman suet, siuet, from Old French seu, from Latin sebum.

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Examples

  • Many Christmas puddings contain suet, but my mother and her mother used butter, because they found suet unappetizing.

    Before Halloween: Christmas Pudding 1930/1960/2005 Lindy 2005

  • Not only does it mean vegetarians can eat it, but the word suet has developed negative connotations - many people just don't like the sound of it.

    unknown title 2009

  • * And, as I was crumbling up the suet, which is much nicer than lard, I think, because it's so dry, I was struck by how pretty it is--very white and with a sheen to it.

    Yang Gueifei and Christmas pudding asakiyume 2006

  • Kidneys are encased in a creamy, waxy fat called suet, which is easily removed by cutting into it and then peeling it away.

    How to Cook Your Gut Pile 2004

  • Bottle of the best mincemeat available no one really wants to ask a butcher for any mystery meat called suet

    Swell Holiday Cynthia Rowley 2003

  • Bottle of the best mincemeat available no one really wants to ask a butcher for any mystery meat called suet

    Swell Holiday Cynthia Rowley 2003

  • Bottle of the best mincemeat available no one really wants to ask a butcher for any mystery meat called suet

    Swell Holiday Cynthia Rowley 2003

  • Place it over the fire, and when it is so hot that it will siss, oil over the bottom of the pan with a piece of suet, that is if the meat is all lean; if not, it is not necessary to grease the bottom of the pan.

    The Whitehouse Cookbook (1887) The Whole Comprising a Comprehensive Cyclopedia of Information for the Home Mrs. F.L. Gillette

  • For those who really want meat in their dessert, there is an ingredient called suet that can be included in a mincemeat pie.

    Columbia Missourian: Latest Articles 2009

  • She can get treats for her feathered friends, such as suet cakes and also all of her gardening supplies like wall o water plant protectors!

    EzineArticles 2010

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