vinaigrette

noun

vin·​ai·​grette ˌvi-ni-ˈgret 

1

: a sauce made typically of oil, vinegar, and seasonings and used especially on salads, cold meats, or fish

called also vinaigrette dressing

2

: a small ornamental box or bottle with perforated top used for holding an aromatic preparation (such as smelling salts)

Examples of vinaigrette in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Basil Fruit Salad with Cottage Cheese Made with cucumbers, blueberries, and peaches dressed in a light orange vinaigrette, this salad is a sleeper hit. — Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 17 Sep. 2026

This hearty meal for two, with no cooking required, is made of a mountain of radicchio, iceberg, red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, salami, provolone cheese and chickpeas and tossed in a tangy red wine oregano vinaigrette. — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

The simple house salad still stood out with a light lemon-Parmesan vinaigrette. — Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026

This makes a nice vegetarian dinner when served with a salad with a tangy vinaigrette. — Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 7 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from vinaigre vinegar

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for vinaigrette

• alphabet
• arpanet
• bassinet
• bayonet
• biuret
• cigarette
• clarinet
• coronet
• coverlet
• dataset
• epithet
• ethernet

Kids Definition

vinaigrette

noun

vin·​ai·​grette ˌvin-i-ˈgret 

: a sauce made of oil, vinegar, and seasonings and used especially on salads, cold meats, or fish