sauerkraut
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of sauerkraut
1610–20; < German, equivalent to sauer sour + Kraut greens
Explanation
Sauerkraut is pickled or fermented cabbage that has a distinctive sour flavor. If you see someone spooning something pale yellow from a jar onto their hot dog, chances are that is sauerkraut. You may have eaten sauerkraut on a hot dog or in a Reuben sandwich. It's also common in German, Czech, Polish, and French dishes, and in slightly different forms sauerkraut shows up in the cuisines of many other countries and regions. Sauerkraut is preserved and fermented by specific lactic acid bacteria that contribute to its sour taste. In German, Sauerkraut means "sour cabbage" or "sour vegetable."
Vocabulary lists containing sauerkraut
World Cuisine - Introductory
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World Cuisine - Middle School and High School
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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.
Langer’s No. 44 is a hot pastrami Reuben sandwich with sauerkraut and nippy cheese on grilled rye bread.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Kennedy often travels with a stash of sauerkraut.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Vance has stayed committed to the diet, often eating eggs, sauerkraut, pickles, blackberries and raspberries for lunch, and beef or lamb with sauerkraut for dinner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Kennedy’s version is a bit different since he also eats fermented foods like sauerkraut.
From MarketWatch ● May 19, 2026
She found herself in front of a small grocery from which came the odors of garlic and sauerkraut.
From "Bone Gap" by Laura Ruby
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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.
