dressing

American  

[dres-ing] / ˈdrɛs ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that dresses.

2. a sauce for food.

   salad dressing.

3. stuffing for a fowl.

   turkey dressing.

4. material used to dress or cover a wound.

5. manure, compost, or other fertilizers.

6. the ornamental detail of a building, especially that around openings.

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dressing British  

/ ˈdrɛsɪŋ /

noun

1. a sauce for food, esp for salad

2. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): stuffing.  a mixture of chopped and seasoned ingredients with which poultry, meat, etc, is stuffed before cooking

3. a covering for a wound, sore, etc

4. manure or artificial fertilizer spread on land

5. size used for stiffening textiles

6. the processes in the conversion of certain rough tanned hides into leather ready for use

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Etymology

Origin of dressing

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at dress, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

For example, 18th-century cleric and founder of Methodism John Wesley urged his followers to show their faith by dressing “neatly” and “plainly.”

From Salon • May 17, 2026

"We were all a bit shocked, we were wearing stuff that we would never wear… but now we're used to it and we love dressing up, it's like putting on a costume every day."

From BBC • May 16, 2026

In Silicon Valley, where dressing down is the ultimate symbol of tech’s disruptive power, nearly every executive who took the stand donned suits and ties.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

"I went back to the dressing room and the first person I saw was Djimi," he says.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

She hugged me, and I breathed in the sweet orange scent of her hair dressing.

From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce

Related Words

• filling
• stuffing