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 of salad

• medley
• variety
• assortment
• jumble
• collage

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

The a-la-carte breakfast is served here, too, with a Thai-Continental menu ranging from guay teow noodle soups to truffle-flecked cheese toasties and healthy salad bowls. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

Just a few dozen feet away, on the other side of the corporate lunch buffet of roast chicken and farro salad, UBS was hosting its Global Media and Communications Conference. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

Fresh, made to order to-go platters with option of protein (gyro meat, beef and chicken shawarma, kebabs and falafel), choice of two sides (hummus, Greek salad, dolmas, tabouli or house salad) and side of pita bread. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Oct. 2026

In this recipe, they’re paired with tuna, tender greens, peperoncini, and celery for a bright, savory salad. — Emily Laurence Sardinha, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Oct. 2026

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

Rhymes for salad

• ballad
• pallid
• valid

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