bacon

noun

ba·​con ˈbā-kən How to pronounce bacon (audio)
 sometimes  -kᵊŋ
1
a
: a side of a pig cured and smoked
also : the thin strips cut from bacon
b
: thin strips of meat other than pork that is cured and smoked
turkey bacon
2
: money
specifically : money gained through employment or legislation
usually used in the phrase bring home the bacon

Examples of bacon in a Sentence

We ate bacon and eggs for breakfast.
Recent Examples on the Web Our basic recipe calls for flavor-boosters like bacon, spinach, bell peppers, and white cheddar. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Menu highlights include the 5th Street Burger topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onions and 5th Street aioli or the Spicy Western Burger topped with cheddar cheese, thick cut bacon, onion rings, jalapeno, lettuce, tomato and BBQ aioli. The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 The turkey and brown sugar bacon variety also starts at $6.69 and is made with sliced turkey, brown sugar bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and Dijon spread, Arby’s said. Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2024 To keep it extra crunchy, stir in pecans and bacon just before serving. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2024 Choose from icings like chocolate and maple, and then pile on toppings from bacon to candy. Angela Caraway-Carlton, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024 This is great for people who live alone and cannot possibly eat that whole package of bacon at once. Taylor Gumm, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2024 And there’s also Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, and vegan bacon, which are a story for another day. Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 8 Feb. 2024 The addition of eggs, sausage and bacon make for a dish that can be enjoyed morning, noon and night. Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bacon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German bahho side of bacon, bah back — more at back

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bacon was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bacon

Cite this Entry

“Bacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bacon. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bacon

noun
ba·​con ˈbā-kən How to pronounce bacon (audio)
1
: salted and smoked meat from the sides and the back of a pig
2
: money gained through employment or legislation
bring home the bacon

Biographical Definition

Bacon 1 of 4

biographical name (1)

Ba·​con ˈbā-kən How to pronounce Bacon (audio)
Francis 1561–1626 1st Baron Verulam ˈver-(y)ə-ləm How to pronounce Bacon (audio) Viscount St. Albans sānt-ˈȯl-bənz How to pronounce Bacon (audio)
sənt-
English philosopher

Bacon

2 of 4

biographical name (2)

Francis 1909–1992 British (Irish-born) painter

Bacon

3 of 4

biographical name (3)

Nathaniel 1647–1676 American colonial leader

Bacon

4 of 4

biographical name (4)

Roger circa 1220–1292 English philosopher and scientist

More from Merriam-Webster on bacon

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