Takeout Meaning, Examples & Usage

Meaning 1：takeout food (Takeout)

Takeout 🔊

/ˈteɪkaʊt/

Food that you buy from a restaurant to eat somewhere else, like at home or the park.

takeout food 🔊

➕

/ˈteɪkaʊt fuːd/

Prepared meals purchased from a restaurant, café, or fast-food outlet to be eaten at a different location, typically at home or outdoors.

📁 Category：Diet & Health 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Compound of 'take' (to grasp) + 'out' (away), forming a noun meaning food prepared for off-premises consumption.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine grabbing a bag of food and saying: 'Take this out of here!' – that's takeout.

📖 Example

After our movie night, we decided to order takeout pizza instead of cooking. 🔊 After our movie night, we decided to order takeout pizza instead of cooking.

🔗 Collocations

order takeout – to request prepared food for off-premises consumption

get takeout – to acquire takeout food

takeout container – a disposable box or bag used for packaging takeout food

🔄 Synonyms

takeaway (n.) – Chiefly British term for food bought from a restaurant to be eaten elsewhere.

carryout (n.) – American term for takeout, often used in certain regions.

delivery (n.) – A service where food is brought to a customer's location, often overlapping with takeout.

🚫 Antonyms

dine-in (n.) – Eating food at the restaurant premises rather than taking it out.

eat-in (n.) – Consuming food at the establishment where it was purchased.

🌱 Derivatives

takeout (adj.) (adj.) – Of or relating to food meant for off-premises consumption (e.g., a takeout menu).

📖 Cultural Story

Originating in 1950s America with the rise of fast-food chains and drive-throughs, 'takeout' became a cultural staple for busy families. It entered common usage alongside 'takeaway' in British English.