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

On the lighter side, the Bluegrass Fields Salad combines Kentucky Bibb lettuce with seasonal berries and toasted almonds, dressed in a balanced raspberry-poppyseed vinaigrette. —Nasha Smith, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

Make quick vinaigrettes and small-batch sauces with the blending shaft, a soft and fluffy whipped cream with the whisk, or lean on the chopper/grinder attachment for speedier slices and dices right inside the attachable bowl. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025

Here’s a recipe for Found Oyster’s scallop tostadas with yuzu-apple vinaigrette. —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025

The salad is dressed in a brown butter vinaigrette, adding a nutty and warm tone to the fresh spring produce. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 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