Barbecue, Barbeque or BBQ

Now that summer is here, it’s a perfect time to clarify the spelling of a favorite summertime tradition.

Of the spellings "barbecue," "barbeque," "bar-b-cue," "bar-b-que," Bar-B-Q" and "BBQ," which is the most correct?

1. barbecue

2. barbecue and barbeque

3. barbecue, barbeque and BBQ

4. All are equally correct.

And the right answer is the first option, “barbecue.” While the other spellings aren’t technically incorrect, “barbecue” is by far the most common and the one preferred by the Associated Press Stylebook as well as by the Merriam-Webster and American Heritage dictionaries. Other spellings for “barbecue” are common in marketing but are better left out of formal writing. What’s more, “barbecue” is also the best spelling because it most resembles its Spanish source, “barbacoa,” which means a “wooden framework for supporting meat over a fire.” On that note, “barbecue” as a noun can now either mean the fire pit used for cooking meat, the meat itself that is cooked this way, or a social gathering around a fire pit where meat is cooked. Now, time to fire up the grill and enjoy your own barbecue!