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

Recipe Tips From The Test Kitchen Keep the vinaigrette in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2025

These leeks in a kicky mustard vinaigrette are all the better for sitting in the fridge overnight. —Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Oct. 2025

Think simple recipes like a salad of juicy tomatoes and pieces of sea lettuce tossed with a vinaigrette or tuna with red pepper and roasted olives. —Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025

The stalks are drenched in a garlic-and-anchovy vinaigrette sharpened with vinegar and mellowed with extra-virgin olive oil. —Katie Parla, Saveur, 30 Oct. 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