Definition

A sour liquid made from fermented alcohol, commonly used in cooking and as a preservative.

Example

I added vinegar to the salad dressing for extra flavor.

Conversation

Have you ever tried using vinegar in your salad dressing?

Yeah, I love how it adds a nice tangy flavor.

I think I need to buy some vinegar for my cooking experiments.

Definitely! It’s so versatile for recipes.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Vinegar comes from the Old French word 'vinaigre', which is formed from 'vin' (meaning wine) and 'aigre' (meaning sour). The word 'vinegar' literally means sour wine, referring to its taste and origin from fermented wine.

Memory Tip

Think of 'wine' ('vin') that has turned 'sour' ('aigre') — that's how vinegar gets its name.

Visually Confused Words