mayonnaise

American  

[mey-uh-neyz, mey-uh-neyz] / ˌmeɪ əˈneɪz, ˈmeɪ əˌneɪz /

noun

mayonnaises plural

1. a thick dressing of egg yolks, vinegar or lemon juice, oil, and seasonings, used for salads, sandwiches, vegetable dishes, etc.

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mayonnaise British  

/ ˌmeɪəˈneɪz /

noun

1. a thick creamy sauce made from egg yolks, oil, and vinegar or lemon juice, eaten with salads, eggs, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mayonnaises
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mayonnaise

1835–45; < French, equivalent to mayon (perhaps variant of Mahón, town in Minorca) + -aise -ese

Compare meaning

How does mayonnaise compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• aioli vs. mayonnaise

Explanation

Mayonnaise is the creamy white condiment you use to make tuna salad or spread on your BLT sandwich. Most mayonnaise is made from egg yolks, oil, and lemon juice. Mayonnaise is common in many foods around the world, from fancy French sauces like rémoulade to Japanese okonomiyaki. In the Netherlands and Belgium, French fries are served with mayonnaise instead of the standard American condiment, ketchup. In the U.S., mayonnaise was first sold commercially in Philadelphia in 1907, made by a local woman named Amelia Schlorer. If you've got a whisk, eggs and olive oil, and a strong arm, you can even make your own mayonnaise.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mayonnaise mayonnaises

If you didn’t know what FTD meant on the menu at the Hodad’s stands at Petco Park, the burger — with cheese, onion rings, pickles, mayonnaise and barbecue sauce — still was a good time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

You can also try making cottage cheese mayonnaise, which is significantly easier to make than traditional mayo.

From Salon ● May 24, 2026

Many chefs and home cooks will incorporate ramps into pesto or mayonnaise.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026

The inaugural flights will feature a special Venezuelan menu including corn pancakes known as cachapas and a Venezuelan-style chicken salad with mayonnaise, according to the airline.

From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026

I saw avocado pear after avocado pear being stuffed with crabmeat and mayonnaise and photographed under brilliant lights.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Hellmann’s mayonnaise, which celebrated its 100 birthday this year, is a pioneer among mayonnaises, a creamy, tangy conqueror of bellies, hearts, and nations.

From Slate ● Dec. 26, 2013

To this end he would whip up weird mayonnaises of wax, turps, asphaltum, eggs, resin and oil.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Luncheon Menu generally comprises soup, entrées both hot and cold; chickens, game, mayonnaises, salads, jellies, creams, etc., etc., and other dishes of a like character.

From Manners and Rules of Good Society or Solecisms to be Avoided by Anonymous