Cooking fat (4) Crossword Clue
Answer: OLEO (4 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Cooking fat" with 4 letters is "OLEO".Oleo is a type of cooking fat, commonly used as a substitute for butter or margarine. It is made from vegetable oils and is often used in baking, frying, or as a spread, offering a similar texture and flavor to butter.
Why “Oleo” Fits
The clue asks for a single word (4 letters) meaning “cooking fat.” The answer, OLEO, fits exactly:
- Cooking fat: Oleo is a shortened form of oleomargarine, a type of margarine made from vegetable oils or animal fats, long used as a cooking or baking substitute for butter.
- Direct match: With four letters, oleo matches the clue’s enumeration perfectly.
- Precise meaning: The word directly identifies a common fat used in cooking, making it a straightforward definition match.
The term oleo has both culinary and linguistic roots linked to the history of margarine production:
- Origin and usage: From Latin oleum, meaning “oil.” It became popular in the late 19th century when margarine was developed as a cheaper and longer-lasting butter alternative.
- Contexts: Commonly used in American English, especially in early 20th-century cooking, baking, and grocery terminology.
- Examples: “She fried the vegetables in oleo,” or “Oleo was often found in wartime ration boxes as a butter replacement.”
Quick crossword clues like “cooking fat (4)” often aim for short, familiar ingredient names:
- Alternatives such as lard (4) or ghee (4) may come to mind, but oleo fits both the enumeration and clue definition most cleanly, especially with its historical culinary association.
- The clue’s simplicity suggests a direct definition rather than any cryptic device.
- With exact length, culinary relevance, and recognizable etymology, oleo is the correct crossword solution.
