dressing

noun

dress·​ing ˈdre-siŋ 

1

a

: the act or process of one who dresses

b

: an instance of such act or process

2

a

: a sauce for adding to a dish (such as a salad)

b

: a seasoned mixture usually used as a stuffing (as for poultry)

3

a

: material (such as ointment or gauze) applied to cover a lesion or wound

b

: fertilizing material (such as manure or compost)

Synonyms

• cataplasm
• plaster
• poultice

Examples of dressing in a Sentence

We had turkey with dressing and potatoes for dinner.

The nurse cleaned the cut and applied a dressing.

Recent Examples on the Web

The human rights lawyer and celebrate humanitarian can more than hold her own when going solo, and opted to stick to the glamorous dressing style—and vintage choices—that makes a stand-out Amal Clooney evening look. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 17 May 2025

Stangl confirms that the dressing and the spice rub can be made up to 4 days ahead. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 May 2025

The naked dressing tradition was kept alive at Cannes through the years with looks by many celebrities, including Cameron Diaz, Kylie Minogue, Claudia Schiffer and, more recently, Bella Hadid and Naomi Campbell. —Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 13 May 2025

Many have ridges, holes, or other contours that can trap the cheese, veggies, and dressing, ensuring every bite is balanced. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 10 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing dressing

• cross-dressing
• dressing-down
• dressing glass
• dressing gown
• dressing room
• dressing table
• French dressing
• house (salad) dressing
• Italian dressing
• ore dressing
• ranch dressing
• Russian dressing
• salad dressing
• side dressing
• Thousand Island dressing
• top dressing
• window dressing

Rhymes for dressing

• blessing
• guessing
• messing
• pressing
• stressing
• accessing
• addressing
• assessing
• caressing
• compressing
• confessing
• depressing

Kids Definition

dressing

noun

dress·​ing ˈdres-iŋ 

1

a

: the act or process of one that dresses

b

: an instance of dressing

2

a

: a sauce for adding to a dish

b

: a seasoned mixture used as a stuffing (as for poultry) or baked and served separately

3

a

: material (as ointment or gauze) used to cover an injury

b

: fertilizing material (as manure or compost)

Medical Definition

dressing

noun

dress·​ing -iŋ 

: a covering (as of ointment or gauze) applied to a lesion