vinegar

[ vin-i-ger ]

noun

1. 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.
2. Pharmacology. a solution of a medicinal substance in dilute acetic acid, or vinegar.
3. sour or irritable speech, manner, or countenance:

   a note of vinegar in his voice.

4. Informal. vigor; high spirits; vim.

vinegar

/ ˈvɪnɪɡə /

noun

1. 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
2. sourness or peevishness of temper, countenance, speech, etc
3. pharmacol a medicinal solution in dilute acetic acid
4. informal.
   vitality

verb

1. tr to apply vinegar to

Derived Forms

• ˈvinegarish, adjective
• ˈvinegar-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• vine·gar·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vinegar¹

1250–1300; Middle English vinegre < Old French, equivalent to vin wine + egre, aigre sour ( eager )

Word History and Origins

Origin of vinegar¹

C13: from Old French vinaigre, from vin wine + aigre sour, from Latin acer sharp

Example Sentences

The aromas the team tested on participants were vanilla, almond, lemon, lemon myrtle, eucalyptus, peppermint, vinegar and lemongrass.

From Science Daily

Children were allegedly beaten, locked outside naked in the cold and had vinegar poured on cuts.

From BBC

The ruling comes after dozens of volunteers entered the abandoned mine to aid the miners, who reports suggest had resorted to eating vinegar and toothpaste to survive.

From BBC

Her roast chicken technique has gone viral, as has her collard greens recipe, which she makes using sliced garlic, chili peppers, a lot of water, some chicken stock, vinegar and Tabasco.

From Salon

We pickle a lot of the veggies during the season and start vinegars with trimmings.

From Salon

Related Words

• marinade