vinegar

American  

[vin-i-ger] / ˈvɪn ɪ gər /

noun

• vinegars
  plural

1. a sour liquid consisting of dilute and impure acetic acid, obtained by acetous fermentation from wine, cider, beer, ale, or the like: used as a condiment, preservative, etc.

2. Pharmacology. a solution of a medicinal substance in dilute acetic acid, or vinegar.

3. sour or irritable speech, manner, or countenance.

   a note of vinegar in his voice.

4. Informal. vigor; high spirits; vim.

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vinegar British  

/ ˈvɪnɪɡə /

noun

1. a sour-tasting liquid consisting of impure dilute acetic acid, made by oxidation of the ethyl alcohol in beer, wine, or cider. It is used as a condiment or preservative

2. sourness or peevishness of temper, countenance, speech, etc

3. pharmacol a medicinal solution in dilute acetic acid

4. informal vitality

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verb

1. (tr) to apply vinegar to

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• vinegar-like
  adjective
• vinegarish
  adjective
• vinegarlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vinegars
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of vinegar

1250–1300; Middle English vinegre < Old French, equivalent to vin wine + egre, aigre sour ( see eager)

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Explanation

Vinegar is a liquid that's commonly used in cooking for its tart, acidic flavor. You're probably familiar with the taste of vinegar from things like salad dressing and pickles. While you might not want to drink a glass of vinegar, it's a useful ingredient in many recipes, both for its flavor, which varies depending on how it's made, and its tenderizing properties. Vinegar can also be used for cleaning, freshening laundry, killing pests, and taking the sting off a bite from a jellyfish or wasp, among many other uses. Vinegar means "sour wine," and that's exactly what it is— juice that's fermented way beyond wine.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vinegar vinegars

At Cabrio, a 5th-district newcomer specializing in small plates and natural wines, head chef Tamás Albrecht pickles in-house, opting for a fruitier vinegar than Hungarians traditionally prefer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Then, before making the final salt adjustment, add about 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of vinegar.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

Before the vinegar, it tasted good — but a little too sweet and a little too earthy.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

In Piedmont, some winegrowers have chosen to turn part of their production into vinegar this year.

From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026

She watched her uncle maneuver salad greens, olive oil, vinegar, and several ingredients unknown to her with the same precision and assurances he employed on a difficult osteotomy.

From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee

All my spices and rice paper noodles; canned goods, condiments, vinegars, oils.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026

Look beyond the basics: fruity vinegars like raspberry or yuzu; deeply savory options like Chinese black or umeboshi plum; something aged, herbal, or faintly mysterious, ideally with a good label.

From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2025

And just a few miles down the road is Rancho Olivos, an 8-acre olive oil farm that offers an assortment of delicious olive oils, produced from their own olives, along with several vinegars.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2025

We pickle a lot of the veggies during the season and start vinegars with trimmings.

From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2024

Any of the spiced vinegars given for the other vegetables may be used.

From Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume 5: Fruit and Fruit Desserts; Canning and Drying; Jelly Making, Preserving and Pickling; Confections; Beverages; the Planning of Meals by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

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