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

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

This creamy soup shuttles the classic carrot-ginger duo into a deeply savory, fragrant direction, with a taste reminiscent of one of my all-time favorite foods: Japanese carrot-ginger dressing. —Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024

Lightly sweetens the dressing to balance the flavors. —Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024

A little bit of a sugary ingredient like pomegranate molasses, honey, agave, or maple syrup will make your dressing perfectly balanced rather than overly acidic. —Audrey Bruno, SELF, 15 Mar. 2024

This person is no different and a quick power nap with the ACC Tournament playing on a television inside the dressing is in order, suppressing any lingering jitters. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing dressing

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