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

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

Other similar dressings include honey mustard, balsamic and other vinaigrettes. —Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 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