karbonatjie, noun

/ˌkarbəˈnaɪki//ˌkɑːbəˈnaɪki//ˌkarbəˈnaɪci/
Forms:
carabenatje, carbonaadtjeShow more Also carabenatje, carbonaadtje, carbo-naatje, carbonaatjie, carbonadje, carbonadjie, carbonaitje, carbonardjie, carbonatje, carbonatjie, karbonaadjie, karbonaartjie, karbonaatje, karbonadje, karbonadjie, karbonatje, karbonatjie.
Origin:
South African Dutch, Dutch, modern AfrikaansShow more South African Dutch, a choice piece of meat, a gift of meat after slaughtering, from Dutch karbonaadje, diminutive form of karbonade grilled meat. (Although karbonatje is used in modern Afrikaans, karmenaadjie (see karmenaadjie) is more common.)
obsolescent
Meat grilled over an open fire: a. A chop or other choice piece of meat; karmenaadjie sense 1. b. Small pieces of meat skewered on a stick.
1822 W.J. Burchell Trav. I. 514My only food was ‘karbonadjes’ of hippopotamus, without bread or salt.
1826 A.G. Bain Jrnls (1949) 149After eating a small ‘carbonatje’, we again prepared to resume our journey.
a1827 D. Carmichael in W.J. Hooker Botanical Misc. (1831) II. 278They..cut it (sc. their meat) into steaks and broil it over the coals. The latter they call ‘Carbonatjie’, a term of extensive import. You have it in the various forms of beef-steak, mutton-chop, veal-cutlet, and pork-relish.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. I. 197We..took our coffee and karbonatje (or pieces of meat roasted on twigs) in the evening.
1847 ‘A Bengali’ Notes on Cape of G.H. 27‘Karbonatje’ meat dressed in the open air on wooden spits.
1848 H. Ward Five Yrs in Kaffirland I. 80A welcome meal of carbonatje. [Source Note: Meat toasted on a wooden prong before the fire, or broiled on the ashes.]
1853 J. McCabe in Graham’s Town Jrnl 12 Mar. 3Our kettle on the fire, and our karbonatjes well peppered and salted, and producing a rather savoury perfume.
1864 T. Baines Explor. in S.-W. Afr. 397A ‘sticker up’, or, in African parlance, a carbonadjie, had been roasted on a fork for me.
1870 in A.M.L. Robinson Sel. Articles from Cape Monthly Mag. (1978) 14City epicure,..what are your daintiest dishes compared to an exquisitely cooked carbonaatje?
1875 J.J. Bisset Sport & War 203The Prince enjoyed nothing more than the cup of coffee, or bit of carabenatje which was always ready for him on these occasions.
1891 W. Selwyn Cape Carols 3Carbonaitje, The Colonial designation of a piece of mutton roasted on a forked stick or live coals, in the absence of the more civilized gridiron.
1891 H.J. Duckitt Hilda’s ‘Where Is It?’ p.ixAnyone who has travelled in South Africa will remember how good was the ‘Sasatie’ (Kabob) or ‘Carbonatje’ (Mutton Chop), steaming hot from the gridiron on wood coals, or two-pronged fork held against the coals.
1910 D. Fairbridge That Which Hath Been (1913) 53Karbonatjes, grilled by the skilful hand of the Widow Tas over the embers of a wood fire.
1945 M. Hone Sarah-Elizabeth 37They always stopped half-way for an alfresco meal of karbonaadjies, Boer beskuit, and coffee.
1949 L.G. Green In Land of Afternoon 127Coffee and sausages, biscuits and ash cakes, meat for karbonaatjes (grilled chops) — such was the wagon’s larder.
1958 A. Jackson Trader on Veld 44‘Sosaties’, a meat dish roasted on sticks, ‘karbonatjes’ (a sort of cutlet — quite a palatable dish).
1968 F.G. Butler Cape Charade 6Karbonatjie? Let me see. It’s mos meat you fries over a fire — not on a stove. It’s very lekker.
A chop or other choice piece of meat; karmenaadjie sense 1.
Small pieces of meat skewered on a stick.
Entry Navigation

Visualise Quotations

Quotation summary

Senses

18221968

Browse Related Words

By Category

Foods and Dishes

By Origin

Dutch
Afrikaans

By Usage

obsolete or obsolescent
karanteen, nounn.kardoesie, nounn.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Unit for South African English.