salsa

noun

sal·​sa ˈsȯl-sə 

ˈsäl-

1

: a usually spicy sauce of chopped tomatoes, onions, and peppers that is commonly served with Mexican food

also : a similar sauce made with a main ingredient other than tomatoes

peach salsa

2

: popular music of Latin American origin that has absorbed characteristics of rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock

Examples of salsa in a Sentence

The band was playing salsa.

We're taking classes in salsa.

Recent Examples on the Web

Raw shrimp ceviche was stored above pico de gallo and salsa. —Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 30 Oct. 2025

Her uplifting music is backed by salsa, pop, cumbia, and urban rhythms, best reflected in her debut studio album INA Siendo INA, out earlier this year. —Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025

Make your own salsa macha for happier results. —Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Oct. 2025

The salsa icon just sold his unit at One Museum Tower in downtown Miami, the Wall Street Journal first reported. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, literally, sauce, from Latin, feminine of salsus salted — more at sauce

First Known Use

circa 1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for salsa

• balsa
• khalsa

Kids Definition

salsa

noun

sal·​sa ˈsȯl-sə 

ˈsäl-

1

: a spicy sauce of tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers

2

: popular Latin American music with elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock