salsa

noun

sal·​sa ˈsȯl-sə How to pronounce salsa (audio)
ˈsäl-
1
: a usually spicy sauce of chopped tomatoes, onions, and peppers that is commonly served with Mexican food
also : a similar sauce made with a main ingredient other than tomatoes
peach salsa
2
: popular music of Latin American origin that has absorbed characteristics of rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock

Examples of salsa in a Sentence

The band was playing salsa. We're taking classes in salsa.
Recent Examples on the Web The most popular chicken al pastor entrée in 2023 was a burrito bowl with white rice, black beans, tomato salsa, roasted corn salsa, cheese and guacamole. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Vines in her backyard in Detroit’s Morningside neighborhood are fruiting with hundreds of tomatoes that are blended for fresh salsas and an array of peppers that will be roasted and preserved for later use. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 Depending on the season, that might mean tacos with shredded bison and blackberry salsa or sunchoke gnocchi. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 Plastic containers of pancake and waffle mix containing raw, unpasteurized eggs also were stored on the top rack above containers of strawberry puree, salsa verde and cooked crepes. Michael Braga, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 Centered at Plaza de César Chávez, the festival will feature more than 80 artists representing jazz, R&B, Latin jazz, salsa, soul, funk, bossa nova, blues and other musical styles/genres. Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 This makes the vegetable a perfect addition to any salsa, salad or soup. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 On Thursday, renowned local chef and restaurant owner Jim Stump served up his Monterey Bay Vermillion Rock Fish Ceviche with guacamole, salsa and a blue corn tortilla chip, working with SSP America Executive Chef James McGregor. Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024 Sausage—stuffed with gooey cheese—is served in tacos cloaked with aromatic salsas. Kayla Stewart, Bon Appétit, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'salsa.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, literally, sauce, from Latin, feminine of salsus salted — more at sauce

First Known Use

circa 1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of salsa was circa 1962

Dictionary Entries Near salsa

Cite this Entry

“Salsa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salsa. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

salsa

noun
sal·​sa ˈsȯl-sə How to pronounce salsa (audio)
ˈsäl-
1
: a spicy sauce of tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers
2
: popular Latin American music with elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock

More from Merriam-Webster on salsa

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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