French dressing

noun

, (often lowercase)

1. salad dressing prepared chiefly from oil, vinegar, and seasonings.
2. a creamy and often sweet dressing, usually orange in color.

French dressing

noun

1. a salad dressing made from oil and vinegar with seasonings; vinaigrette

Word History and Origins

Origin of French dressing¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

The sauce or dressing varieties are just as varied as ketchup, sweet mustard, spicy mustard, garlic and, the most popular, French dressing.

From Salon

Come matchday, however, rumours reached the French dressing room that the Inter Milan striker was unwell so would not feature.

From BBC

The group wondered: Why should French dressing be bound by regulations when most other dressings are not?

From New York Times

According to the FDA, French dressing is required to contain oil, vinegar, lemon and/or lime juice and may contain salt, spices, tomato paste or color additives, among other ingredients.

From Fox News

Jamie Oliver’s basic French dressing adds chopped garlic and mustard to the mix, and offers up an inviolable ratio for successful dressing: three parts oil to one part vinegar.

From The Guardian