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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

chef

/ʃɛf/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:05
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What does chef mean?

noun

  1. The presiding cook in the kitchen of a large household.
  2. The head cook of a restaurant or other establishment.
  3. Any cook.
More meanings (5)

noun

  1. (slang) One who manufactures illegal drugs; a cook.
  2. (historical) A reliquary in the shape of a head.

verb

  1. (informal) To work as a chef; to prepare and cook food professionally.
  2. To stab with a knife, to shank.
  3. To impress others.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ʃɛf/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

The secret execution of Montigny, never brought to light until the present century, was a veritable chef d'oeuvre of this sort.
John FiskeThe Unseen World, and Other EssaysProject Gutenberg ebook #1486
He remembered the face of anger and fear displayed by the Octagon chef when he had spoken to him in the elevator.
Christopher MorleyThe Haunted BookshopProject Gutenberg ebook #172
More book examples (3)
She was sure their cook at home did that way, and the CHEF of the gang thought it would be a good idea.
Gene Stratton-PorterFrecklesProject Gutenberg ebook #111
“Come, let us sit down and try what the new chef here is like, and then you will tell us how it all came about.”
Oscar WildeThe Picture of Dorian GrayProject Gutenberg ebook #174
This village, which, as I have said, is very like Rochefort, but hardly so large, is the chef lieu of a district the size of one-third of England.
Lucie, Lady Duff GordonLetters from the CapeProject Gutenberg ebook #886