tzatziki

noun

(d)zäd-ˈzē-kē 

(t)sät-ˈsē-,

(t)sat-ˈsē,

tat-ˈsē

: a Greek yogurt sauce made with cucumbers and garlic

In Cyprus, I learned how to mix olive oil, thick yogurt, some minced garlic and chopped cucumbers to make a quick, refreshing tzatziki dip …

—Nancy Harmon Jenkins

Examples of tzatziki in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The violations ranged from nine- and 10-day old tuna salad, salsa and tzatziki stored in coolers throughout one restaurant to cooked chicken and cooked potato left out of a cooler for more than seven hours at another. —Michael Braga, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024

For example, spread on hummus or tzatziki dip for a creamy rich texture or hot sauce or chili crisp for some heat. —Ashia Aubourg, SELF, 30 Jan. 2024

The menu is the standard chain formula of proteins served many ways — in wraps, with rice or fries, in bowls with tzatziki and veggies, and on top of salads with Greek ingredients like feta and olives. —John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2024

For balance, there’s tzatziki, cool with cucumber and yogurt. —Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2023

For dinner, a farro bowl with kebab meat, roasted corn, chickpeas, feta, and tzatziki sauce with bread. —Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 3 Nov. 2023

The accompanying tzatziki sauce is made with Greek yogurt, fresh mint, and cucumber. —Outside Editors, Outside Online, 5 Apr. 2023

Sprinkle the crunch on the lamb and tzatziki and serve the red horseradish cream and mint chimichurri on the side. —Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Aug. 2023

For the uninitiated, tzatziki is popular in the Mediterranean and Middle East. —Ivy Odom, Southern Living, 28 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Modern Greek tzatzíki, borrowed from Turkish cacık, earlier (17th century) cacıh̯ "kind of edible herb," of obscure origin

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above