vinegar
n. C / Un. a sour liquid used to give food more flavor or to preserve it. It is usually made from wine, cider, or beer.
n. a sour-tasting liquid containing acetic acid, produced by the fermentation of ethanol. Used primarily as a condiment, a preservative, or a cleaning agent.
I like to put vinegar and salt on my fries.
The chef added a splash of balsamic vinegar to the salad dressing to balance the sweetness of the honey.
Traditional pickling relies on the high acidity of vinegar to inhibit the growth of spoilage-inducing bacteria, effectively extending the shelf life of seasonal vegetables.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weh₁y-? Proto-Indo-European *-ō? Proto-Indo-European *wéyh₁ō Proto-Italic *wīnom Latin vīnum Old French vin Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-rós Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱrós Proto-Italic *akris Classical Latin ācer Late Latin ācrus Old French aigre Old French vinaigrebor. Middle English vynegre English vinegar From Middle English vynegre, from Old French vinaigre from Old French vyn egre, based on Latin vīnum (“wine”) + Latin ācer (“sour”). Displaced Old English æċed (survived in Middle English eced).
Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; countable when referring to specific varieties or types.