sauce

1 of 2

noun

ˈsȯs 

usually for sense 3

ˈsas 

plural sauces

1

a

: a liquid or semisolid food mixture used especially as a topping or ingredient for adding to or enhancing the flavor of a dish

pasta with tomato sauce

hot sauce

soy sauce

a cheese/cream sauce

desserts topped with chocolate sauce

b

: stewed fruit eaten with other food or as a dessert

cranberry sauce

see also applesauce

2

: something that adds zest, interest, or excitement

New experiences are the sauce of life.

3

: rude or impolite language or actions

I've had enough of your sauce!

4

the sauce slang : liquor

Stay off the sauce, especially if you're taking the antibiotic metronidazole …

—Elizabeth Goodman

see also secret sauce, special sauce

sauce

2 of 2

verb

ˈsȯs 

usually for sense 3

ˈsas 

sauced; saucing

transitive verb

1

a

: to cover or serve with a sauce

b

: to dress with relish or seasoning

2

a

archaic : to modify the harsh or unpleasant characteristics of

b

: to give zest or piquancy to

3

: to be rude or impudent to

Synonyms

Noun

• dressing
• gravy

Examples of sauce in a Sentence

Noun

She tried several sauces before she found one she liked.

chicken in a cream sauce

Cover the strawberries with the chocolate sauce.

This pizza needs more sauce.

I've had enough of your sauce!

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Top-tier speciality ingredients: Essential spice mixes, condiments, sauces, and more—all Bon Appétit–approved. —The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Apr. 2025

Now a 900-location behemoth, Graves still insists on keeping the menu limited to just chicken fingers, a handful of sides, a single sauce and no dessert. —Chase Peterson-Withorn, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Verb

Just before serving, stir some butter, lemon zest, capers or olives into the meaty drippings to give the pan sauce a salty bite. —Melissa Clark, New York Times, 20 Jan. 2025

Add shrimp to sauce: Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is creamy looking and shrimp are cooked and warmed through, about 2 minutes. —Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin salsa, feminine of salsus salted, from past participle of sallere to salt, from sal salt — more at salt

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

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

Phrases Containing sauce

• alfredo sauce
• barbecue sauce
• béarnaise sauce
• béchamel sauce
• bechamel sauce
• bordelaise sauce
• brown sauce
• chili sauce
• cocktail sauce
• duck sauce
• hard sauce
• hoisin sauce
• hot fudge sauce
• hot sauce
• Mornay sauce
• mother sauce
• Nantua sauce
• off the sauce
• on the sauce
• secret sauce
• soya sauce
• soy sauce
• special sauce
• tartare sauce
• tartar sauce
• weak sauce
• what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander
• white sauce
• Worcestershire sauce

Rhymes for sauce

• blas
• bos
• boss
• bosse
• clos
• crosse
• dos
• doss
• dross
• floss
• foss
• fosse

Kids Definition

sauce

1 of 2 noun

ˈsȯs 

1

: a thick liquid that is eaten with or on food to add flavor

a tangy pasta sauce

ice cream with chocolate sauce

2

: boiled or canned fruit

cranberry sauce

3

: rude or impolite language or actions

sauce

2 of 2 verb

sauced; saucing

1

: to add sauce to : season

2

: to be rude or impudent to