# pickles

/ˈpɪkəɫz/ (US) · /pˈɪkəlz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pickles
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. preserved vegetables

noun · CEFR A2

vegetables, usually small cucumbers, that have been kept in vinegar or salt water to give them a sour taste.

For teachers: vegetables, most commonly cucumbers, that have been preserved in a solution of brine or vinegar. Usually plural when referring to the individual items.

- He always adds extra pickles to his burger for a sour, crunchy taste.
- The deli serves artisanal pickles that have been fermented in oak barrels for several months to develop a complex, tangy profile.

### 3. nonsense

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Dialect

silly talk or ideas that do not make sense.

For teachers: a colloquial term for nonsense or folly. Uncountable in this sense.

- Don't listen to him; he's just talking pickles again.
- The elderly man dismissed the modern political theories as absolute pickles, much to the amusement of his grandchildren.

## Examples

- I always ask for extra pickles on my burger.
- She served a variety of homemade pickles alongside the cold meats and cheeses at the picnic.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.