condiment
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- condimental adjective
- condimentary adjective
- noncondiment noun
- noncondimental adjective
Etymology
Origin of condiment
1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French < Latin condīmentum spice, equivalent to condī ( re ) to season + -mentum -ment
Explanation
A condiment adds flavor to food. Ketchup and mustard are popular condiments. Most people use condiments when they eat. There are lots of salad dressings, and they're all condiments. If you put relish on a hot dog, that's a condiment too. Barbecue sauce and blue cheese are condiments as well. If it's an extra thing — especially a sauce like ranch dressing — and it makes food taste better, it's probably a condiment.
Vocabulary lists containing condiment
Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"My English" and "How I Learned English"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 6–August 12, 2022
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company said that after the separation, he would lead its faster-growing condiment business, with brands like Heinz ketchup and Grey Poupon mustard.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
Kraft Heinz said last year that it planned to split its condiment and grocery-staples businesses, before reversing course in February.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026
The thick, brown condiment - made primarily from yeast extract - was invented in the Victorian capital of Melbourne more than a century ago as an alternative to the British spread Marmite.
From BBC • Nov. 18, 2025
A convicted murderer in the state of Victoria has sued the prisons commissioner over his lack of access to the quintessentially Australian condiment.
From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025
“Hey, hey, Will,” calls Marcus from the condiment bar.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
