Definition

To partially cook food by boiling it for a short time before finishing the cooking process by another method.

Example

I decided to parboil the vegetables before roasting them to make them tender.

Tense Forms

Conversation

Have you ever tried to parboil vegetables before cooking them?

Yeah, I did that with some potatoes last week, and it worked great!

I heard it helps them cook faster and taste better.

Absolutely! It’s a game-changer in the kitchen.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Parboil is formed from "par-" (meaning partially) and "boil" (from Old French *boillir*, meaning to bubble or to boil). The word describes the process of boiling food partially before further cooking.

Memory Tip

Think of partially boiling something — 'par-' means partially, and 'boil' refers to cooking in water. This helps you remember that parboil means to cook food partially by boiling.

Visually Confused Words