Meaning & use

mayonnaise

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌmeɪəˈneɪz/
US/ˈmeɪəneɪz/

Meaning

  1. noununcountable

    A thick, creamy cold sauce made by beating oil with egg yolks and lemon juice or vinegar.

    Grammar: Uncountable: add some mayonnaise; a jar of mayonnaise.

    Patterns

    • spread mayonnaise on something
    • a jar of mayonnaise

    She spread mayonnaise on the bread before adding the turkey.

    A spoonful of mayonnaise makes the potato salad creamy.

    Homemade mayonnaise tastes fresher than the kind in a jar.

Common combinations

a jar of mayonnaise
We need a jar of mayonnaise for the sandwiches.
spread mayonnaise
Spread mayonnaise thinly over the bread.
homemade mayonnaise
Homemade mayonnaise is easy with a blender.
garlic mayonnaise
We dipped the fries in garlic mayonnaise.
light mayonnaise
He buys light mayonnaise to cut calories.

Synonyms and how they differ

mayo
Mayo is the casual short form and is used mostly in speech and on menus.
aioli
Aioli is a garlic sauce from southern Europe that is similar but stronger in garlic flavor.
salad cream
Salad cream is a British sauce that is thinner and tangier than mayonnaise.

Word family

mayo noun
informal short form of mayonnaise
mayonnaise-based adjective
made with mayonnaise as the main ingredient

Commonly confused: mayonnaise or mustard?

mayonnaise vs mustard

Mustard is a sharper yellow or brown condiment made from mustard seeds, not from eggs and oil.

Practice

Which two main ingredients are beaten together to make mayonnaise?

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