pickle

1 of 3

noun (1)

pick·​le ˈpi-kəl 

1

: a solution or bath for preserving or cleaning: such as

a

: a brine or vinegar solution in which foods are preserved

b

: any of various baths used in industrial cleaning or processing

2

: a difficult situation : plight

could see no way out of the pickle I was in

—R. L. Stevenson

3

: an article of food that has been preserved in brine or in vinegar

specifically : a cucumber that has been so preserved

pickle

2 of 3

verb

pickled; pickling ˈpi-k(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to treat, preserve, or clean in or with a pickle

2

: to give a light finish to (something, such as furniture) by bleaching or painting and wiping

pickle

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

Scotland : grain, kernel

2

Scotland : a small quantity

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• predicament
• dilemma
• hole
• bind
• swamp
• jam

Examples of pickle in a Sentence

Noun (1)

well, this is a bit of a pickle we've gotten ourselves into

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Blind Butcher Shoppe is a favorite spot for locals hoping to bring home dinner, but their selection of artisanal pantry items like pickles, preserves, and more are worth checking out for those looking to bring an edible souvenir home. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025

Over on TikTok, #pickles and #pickle have more than 420,000 and 316,000 posts globally, respectively, with each increasing more than 25 percent in the past six months, per the company. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Sep. 2025

Verb

Raw red onions already add a pop of color with their purple hue, but when pickled, the vegetable takes on a really beautiful bright pink color. —Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2025

While China and Japan both have versions of kimchi, those nations' dishes are more likely to be pickled, skipping the full fermentation process. —New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English pykyl, pekill sauce, gravy, from or akin to Middle Dutch peeckel brine

Noun (2)

perhaps from Scots pickle to trifle, pilfer

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pickle

• dill pickle

Rhymes for pickle

• fickle
• mickle
• nickel
• nickle
• nicol
• prickle
• sickle
• tickle
• trickle
• ventricle

Kids Definition

pickle

1 of 2 noun

pick·​le ˈpik-əl 

1

: a liquid used for preserving or cleaning

especially : a saltwater or vinegar solution in which foods are preserved : brine

2

: an unpleasant or difficult situation : plight

3

: an article of food (as a cucumber) preserved in a saltwater or vinegar solution

pickle

2 of 2 verb

pickled; pickling ˈpik-(ə-)liŋ 

: to treat, preserve, or clean in or with a pickle