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

Stir vinaigrette and pour on kale; toss well. —Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 15 Sep. 2025

Their foliage adds a lush flair to the garden and sliced cabbage with a little mayo and mustard mix or a vinaigrette is one of my go-to side dishes (or even a snack). —Amy Brightfield, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025

Not deep-fried or marketed alongside the latest trend — who knows whether that sausage was brushed in tallow or if the cooks avoided seed oils for the flavorful vinaigrette on those tomatoes, those kaleidoscopic tomatoes. —Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2025

Sherry vinaigrette is cut through with hunks of creamy blue cheese, a trick inspired by my favorite salad at Via Carota in New York City's West Village. —Elazar Sontag, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from vinaigre vinegar

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for vinaigrette

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

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