condiment
Americannoun
-
condiments
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of condiment
1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French < Latin condīmentum spice, equivalent to condī ( re ) to season + -mentum -ment
Explanation
A condiment adds flavor to food. Ketchup and mustard are popular condiments. Most people use condiments when they eat. There are lots of salad dressings, and they're all condiments. If you put relish on a hot dog, that's a condiment too. Barbecue sauce and blue cheese are condiments as well. If it's an extra thing — especially a sauce like ranch dressing — and it makes food taste better, it's probably a condiment.
Vocabulary lists containing condiment
Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 6–August 12, 2022
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Starbucks has been winning back customers with changes that range from bringing back the condiment bar to getting rid of a surcharge for nondairy milk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
“You have what I like to call grease as a condiment and that, with the salt, is where the flavor comes from,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
The company said Thursday that it is working on a “TSA Compliant Ranch” for those looking to travel with the quintessentially American condiment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Sriracha is my go-to condiment for a Thai coconut soup, also known as Tom Kha Phak.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026
It is a large, white, carrot-shaped East Asian radish that is often made into kimchi, the spicy fermented condiment that is Korea’s most famous dish.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
They have a great all-you-can-eat menu with really great meats and an assortment of sauces and condiments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
An investigation into the unsung hero of condiments: Relish is the ideal summer ingredient.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
So here’s a look at some of the star players, brands — and even condiments and comfort foods — that have already won this year’s World Cup.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
I wholeheartedly believe that the best way to enjoy the nuggets is straight out of the oven or the air-fryer, dipped in your favorite condiments.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
I yank my hand free and press the boxes of napkins, utensils, and condiments close to my chest and brush past him.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
