salad

noun

sal·​ad ˈsa-ləd 

1

: any of various usually cold dishes: such as

a

: raw greens (such as lettuce) often combined with other vegetables and toppings and served especially with dressing

b

: small pieces of food (such as pasta, meat, fruit, or vegetables) usually mixed with a dressing (such as mayonnaise) or set in gelatin

2

: a green vegetable or herb grown for salad

especially : lettuce

3

: a usually incongruous mixture : hodgepodge

Synonyms

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• assortment
• botch
• clutter
• collage
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• grab bag
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• jungle
• litter
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• pastiche
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• rummage
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

Examples of salad in a Sentence

For dinner we had roast chicken and a salad.

a salad of fresh greens

I tossed the salad with some oil and vinegar and set it on the table.

Would you like soup or salad with your sandwich?

Recent Examples on the Web

That is still one of my favorite things, and outside of Wisconsin no one knows what seven layer salad is! —Kristine M. Kierzek, Journal Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2024

Some of Arizona's other stadiums have become more gluten-free friendly over the years, with options like salads, fries and nachos at State Farm Stadium. —Endia Fontanez, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024

But pasta salads can be the star of the show (and one of the easiest dishes to throw together, to boot). —Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2024

Fresh ricotta from a Pennsylvania farm figures into one of the other non-pizza dishes offered on the menu: a small salad consisting of the cheese, thinly sliced radishes and slivers of apple, perked up with a blend of zesty vinaigrette, fresh mint and flaky sea salt. —Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024

Add potato salad to baking dish: Spoon into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. —Pam Lolley and Robby Melvin, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2024

Use the marinated feta (see the recipe below) for all kinds of salads or for schmearing on bread. —Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024

For people looking to add more avocado to their diets, experts suggest adding them to salads, smoothies, desserts, sandwiches, and more. —Sarah Garone, Health, 10 Apr. 2024

Read on below: Make a London Fog tea latte and bring the coffee shop favorite home How to make the angel food cake of your dreams Bacon vinaigrette works wonders in this asparagus and white bean salad Want more recipes and tips? —Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English salat, salade, borrowed from Middle French salade "dish of seasoned greens and herbs," borrowed from a medieval Upper Italian predecessor of modern dialectal (Piedmont) salada, salatta (Tuscan insalata) from salar "to add salt to, salt" (going back to Vulgar Latin *salāre, re-formation of Latin salīre, sallīre "to salt, preserve with salt," derivative of sal-, sāl "salt") + -ata, -ada -ade — more at salt entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing salad

• Caesar salad
• chef's salad
• Cobb salad
• corn salad
• garden salad
• Greek salad
• house salad
• house (salad) dressing
• salad bar
• salad cream
• salad days
• salad dressing
• salad greens
• salad oil
• tossed salad
• Waldorf salad
• word salad

Kids Definition

salad

noun

sal·​ad ˈsal-əd 

1

: green vegetables (as lettuce) often with tomato, cucumber, or radish served with dressing

2

: a cold dish (as of meat, shellfish, fruit, or vegetables) usually prepared with a dressing