vinegar
Americannoun
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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.
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Pharmacology. a solution of a medicinal substance in dilute acetic acid, or vinegar.
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sour or irritable speech, manner, or countenance.
a note of vinegar in his voice.
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Informal. vigor; high spirits; vim.
noun
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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
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sourness or peevishness of temper, countenance, speech, etc
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pharmacol a medicinal solution in dilute acetic acid
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informal vitality
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of vinegar
1250–1300; Middle English vinegre < Old French, equivalent to vin wine + egre, aigre sour ( see eager)
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.
Vocabulary lists containing vinegar
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:
Tart and sweet, Lev Sercarz likens sumac to a “red-wine vinegar powder of sorts.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
Rice noodles are tossed in a glossy dressing of tomato paste, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, Sriracha, rice wine vinegar and just enough Kewpie mayonnaise to give everything a silky sheen.
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026
The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health recommends soaking leafy produce and fuzzy fruits like peaches in a 10% white vinegar and 90% water mixture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
It’s billed as different from “your average rib sandwich,” with ribs that have been hand-deboned, marinated in a proprietary barbecue-sauce blend with apple-cider vinegar, then slow-cooked for nine hours.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 29, 2026
Dany took Daario Naharis up the steps to her bedchamber, where Irri washed his cut with vinegar and Jhiqui wrapped it in white linen.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
All my spices and rice paper noodles; canned goods, condiments, vinegars, oils.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026
Getting into fermentation also helps and fruit that looks less than perfect can be used to create some truly amazing vinegars.
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2024
For vinegar washes, you can use distilled malt, cider or wine vinegars.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2024
Now, Balo Orozco, the owner of Sunset Cultures, is making fruit vinegars with the same vibrancy and lush fruit flavors as his kombucha, using up excess fruit so nothing goes to waste.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2023
"And none of your devilish vinegars and scums."
From The Puppet Crown by MacGrath, Harold
Definitions 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.
