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

The piquant dish is lacquered with strawberry-guajillo barbecue sauce, while a punchy coleslaw with Fresno chile vinaigrette rounds things out. —Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 1 May 2026

Then, toss with a vinaigrette made with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice, and finish with any herbs and spices to taste. —Caitlin Beale, Health, 1 May 2026

The honey mustard vinaigrette gets a lively kick from cayenne pepper. —Victoria Spencer, Martha Stewart, 30 Apr. 2026

For the 2026 menu, Lopez has a green goddess pasta salad and a kale salad with cider sorghum vinaigrette ready to start. —Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2026

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