vinegar

IPA/ˈvɪnɪɡə(r)/
KK[vˈɪnəɡɚ]IPA/ˈvɪnɪɡər/

vinegar — noun

1. a sour liquid made by fermenting alcoholic drinks such as wine, cider, or beer i

1.nounA2
Definition

a sour liquid made by fermenting alcoholic drinks such as wine, cider, or beer into acetic acid, used in cooking to add a sharp, tangy taste to dishes, and also as a pickling agent that keeps vegetables and fruit from spoiling.

Example

Ezra added a splash of vinegar to the salad dressing for extra sharpness.

adding to dressing for sharpness

Nila sliced cucumbers and soaked them in rice vinegar and sugar to make a quick pickle.

pickling with vinegar

Common collocations
  • balsamic vinegar
  • rice vinegar
  • cider vinegar
  • white vinegar
  • malt vinegar
  • red wine vinegar
  • a splash of vinegar
  • a dash of vinegar
  • vinegar and oil
Synonyms
  • acetic acid

    the chemical name for the active compound in vinegar; used in scientific or industrial contexts, not when talking about food

Usage Note

Vinegar comes in many varieties suited to different uses: balsamic and red/white wine vinegar for salads and sauces; rice vinegar for East Asian dishes; cider vinegar for dressings and pickling; white vinegar mainly for household cleaning and preserving; malt vinegar for British-style fish and chips. The strength of vinegar is measured by its acetic acid content, typically 4–8%.

Common Mistakes

Please pass me the vinegar for my fries.
Please pass me the malt vinegar for my chips.
In British English, chips are thicker-cut fries and malt vinegar is the traditional pairing; 'vinegar' alone is understood but less specific.
I cleaned the window with balsamic vinegar.
I cleaned the window with white vinegar.
Balsamic vinegar is expensive and sugary, meant for cooking; white vinegar is cheap and acidic, designed for household cleaning.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Vinegar is the everyday word for the sour liquid made from fermented alcohol and used in cooking, cleaning, and preserving. Acetic acid is the chemical name for the sour compound that gives vinegar its sharp taste — you would use this term in a science class or when reading ingredient labels, not at the dinner table. Vinaigrette is a dressing made by mixing vinegar (or lemon juice) with oil, salt, and herbs; it is not a substitute for plain vinegar. For example, a recipe might call for 'two tablespoons of vinegar' (meaning the liquid itself), but you 'drizzle a vinaigrette over the salad' (the prepared dressing).

vinegar ↗acetic acidvinaigrette ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • balsamic vinegar
  • rice vinegar
  • cider vinegar
  • white vinegar
  • malt vinegar
  • red wine vinegar

Phrases

  • a splash of vinegar
  • a dash of vinegar
  • a teaspoon of vinegar
  • a mixture of vinegar and water
  • vinegar and oil

Prepositions

  • in vinegar
  • with vinegar

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The English word vinegar comes from Old French vinaigre, which literally means 'sour wine' — a blend of vin (wine) and aigre (sour). This French word traces back to Latin vinum (wine) and acer (sharp, bitter). The name reflects how vinegar was first discovered: wine left exposed to air naturally turns sour as bacteria convert the alcohol into acetic acid.