ENGLISH
REFERENCE

mayo

n. uncountable
A2 Elementary US //ˈmeɪoʊ// UK //mˈeɪəʊ// mayo Informal Vulgar

n. a thick, white sauce made from oil, egg yolks, and vinegar. You usually put it on sandwiches or use it to dip fries.

n. a thick, creamy dressing consisting of egg yolks beaten with oil and vinegar or lemon juice. An informal clipping of 'mayonnaise'.


SIMPLE

I always put extra mayo on my turkey sandwich.

CONTEXTUAL

The waiter brought a small dish of garlic mayo to go with the hot chips we ordered.

COMPLEX

While traditional recipes require whisking the oil by hand, most modern kitchens use a blender to emulsify the mayo into a stable, velvety consistency.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

Derived from Irish Maigh Eo * (surname): Possibly instead derived from Old French, “Maiheu” from Hebrew, “Matthew”

Etymology 2

Named after the Mayo River, whose name in Mayo means "people of the riverbank."

Usage

Uncountable in its general sense; can be countable when referring to specific varieties or servings.

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