coleslaw

American  

[kohl-slaw] / ˈkoʊlˌslɔ /

noun

1. a salad of finely sliced or chopped raw cabbage, usually moistened with a mayonnaise dressing.

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coleslaw British  

/ ˈkəʊlˌslɔː /

noun

1. a salad of shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, carrots, onions, etc

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Usage

What is coleslaw? Coleslaw is a cold salad traditionally made from sliced or chopped raw cabbage mixed with a dressing made with mayonnaise or vinegar. It often includes other seasonings and ingredients, such as onions, carrots, or apples. The word slaw can be used to mean the same thing. Sometimes, slaw is used to refer to a similar cold salad that does not include cabbage, such as carrot slaw.  Coleslaw is most commonly served as a side dish, such as for barbecue, or a topping, such as for sandwiches. In the U.S., it’s associated with cookouts and picnics and known as a common side dish at some restaurants. Example: My mom makes a tasty coleslaw that includes carrots and onions.

Etymology

Origin of coleslaw

1785–95; < Dutch koolsla, equivalent to kool cabbage, cole + sla, contraction of salade salad

Example Sentences

Customers frequently ask to swap out the coleslaw side that comes with some meals for an extra serving of sauce.

From The Wall Street Journal

It comes with rye bread, sliced Emmental cheese, coleslaw, Russian dressing and Raye’s Cranberry Mustard.

From The Wall Street Journal

There are many sides, such as crab cakes, soup, and more, but I’d rather enjoy the crab with the included accompaniments of coleslaw, garlic rolls and butter.

From Salon

The official Door County website calls them a "one-of-a-kind epicurean event," noting some other sides that aren't as often mentioned, from lemon wedges, coleslaw and bread to "fresh-baked Door County cherry pie" for dessert.

From Salon

And to suggest it is merely a coleslaw variation, he added, “is like saying that vanilla ice cream and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and Oreo ice cream are all basically the same thing.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• sauerkraut