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.
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
The vinegar cuts through richness while the garlic and dill add complexity without requiring extra work.
From Salon • May 28, 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
Dubowski said he had experienced a "strange bit of self-doubt" earlier after he was asked what was mixed with vinegar, mustard and oil to make a basic mayonnaise.
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
He fixed the avocados with sweet oil and pickled vinegar and brought the salad in to Katie.
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
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.
