dressing

noun

dress·​ing ˈdre-siŋ 

1

a

: the act or process of one who dresses

b

: an instance of such act or process

2

a

: a sauce for adding to a dish (such as a salad)

b

: a seasoned mixture usually used as a stuffing (as for poultry)

3

a

: material (such as ointment or gauze) applied to cover a lesion or wound

b

: fertilizing material (such as manure or compost)

Synonyms

• cataplasm
• plaster
• poultice

Examples of dressing in a Sentence

We had turkey with dressing and potatoes for dinner.

The nurse cleaned the cut and applied a dressing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Pask suggests that a voluminous trouser is the quickest and easiest way to inject a contemporary jolt into your formal dressing—somewhat ironically, since the silhouette is anything but new. —Max Berlinger, Robb Report, 21 Apr. 2024

Award season may be over, but that doesn’t mean that sheer dressing is going anywhere. —Irene Kim, Vogue, 20 Apr. 2024

Theme or not, sheer dressing is second nature for Kravitz. —Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 18 Apr. 2024

Off the bedroom is a spacious dressing area that carries through to an enormous double-vanity bathroom. —Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2024

Justin Theroux and his girlfriend Nicole Brydon Bloom are nailing couple’s dressing! —Jenny Haward, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024

In my household, style and dressing were revered like a sacred ritual. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024

Orwell typed for hours upstairs, sitting on his iron bedstead in a tatty dressing gown, chain-smoking shag tobacco. —Stephen Metcalf, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024

Toss cucumbers with cherry, grape, and pear tomatoes, plus a tangy sherry vinegar and fresh ginger dressing. —Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing dressing

• cross-dressing
• dressing-down
• dressing glass
• dressing gown
• dressing room
• dressing table
• French dressing
• house (salad) dressing
• Italian dressing
• ore dressing
• ranch dressing
• Russian dressing
• salad dressing
• side dressing
• Thousand Island dressing
• top dressing
• window dressing

Kids Definition

dressing

noun

dress·​ing ˈdres-iŋ 

1

a

: the act or process of one that dresses

b

: an instance of dressing

2

a

: a sauce for adding to a dish

b

: a seasoned mixture used as a stuffing (as for poultry) or baked and served separately

3

a

: material (as ointment or gauze) used to cover an injury

b

: fertilizing material (as manure or compost)

Medical Definition

dressing

noun

dress·​ing -iŋ 

: a covering (as of ointment or gauze) applied to a lesion