side dish
Americannoun
-
side dishes
plural
-
a serving of a portion of food in addition to the principal food, usually on a separate dish.
-
the small additional dish used for such food.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of side dish
First recorded in 1715–25
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.
Play is the primary side dish at “7 Paintings,” a tech-infused dinner theater that aims to be a crash course in fine art.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Or, include a small side dish, like macaroni and cheese, to make your board heartier.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
As a soothing side dish, I recommend her malawax, a slightly sweet cardamom-scented pancake that goes well with breakfast coffee.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Enjoy these tomatoes as an appetizer, a side dish, or a midday snack.
From Salon ● Apr. 6, 2026
“Need I remind you, I don’t know deep-cut Ashkenazi stuff; it’s not my thing. Like, I barely understand kugel. Is it a dessert or a side dish? Is it noodles or is it cheesecake?”
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
