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salad oil

salad oil

1 1.4
A light vegetable oil used for salad dressing and cooking
  • noun
translation icon : aceite para ensaladas
  • For the dressing, mix vinegar and salad oil in a small jar and shake it well.
  • tablespoon of salad oil
  • teaspoon of salad oil
  • cup of salad oil

Examples

  • The recipe calls for two tablespoons of salad oil to prepare the marinade.

  • She drizzled the salad oil over the mixed greens to enhance the flavor.

  • Lettuce, tomato, salad oil.

  • The last thing I notice as we hurry on is the water pooled below the beluga; it's greasy, as though we'd just spilled a cup of salad oil there, and pink with blood.

    Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

oil
vssalad oil
406 1.0

A liquid fat from plants used for cooking and salad dressings

is the specific phrase for light edible plant oils used in dressings and cooking
olive oil
vssalad oil
126 1.0

A liquid made by pressing olives used for cooking and salads

is the general name for light edible plant oils, not a specific source
vegetable oil
vssalad oil
17 1.0

An oil made from plants that you use for cooking

is a narrower term for light edible plant oils mainly used for dressings
cooking oil
vssalad oil
7 1.0

Oil from plants or seeds used to cook food

is used mainly for dressings and light culinary uses rather than high heat cooking
sesame oil
vssalad oil
5 1.1

An oil from sesame seeds that people use to add flavor to food

is mainly the light edible oil for dressings and cooking, not mainly a flavoring
walnut oil
vssalad oil
1 2.9

A liquid taken from walnuts used for cooking and salad dressing

is a general label for light edible plant oils rather than a specialty flavoring
sunflower oil
vssalad oil
1 1.0

Oil made from sunflower seeds used for cooking and food

is the general name covering light edible plant oils beyond just dressings
mustard oil
vssalad oil
1 3.2

A yellowish liquid from mustard seeds that people use for cooking and massage

is used for dressings and cooking rather than for massage or soap
flaxseed oil
vssalad oil
1 4.3

An oil from flax seeds used as food and in paints or varnishes

is intended for dressings and culinary use rather than as a supplement or industrial product
sweet oil
vssalad oil
1 3.5

A mild vegetable oil like olive oil that you use for cooking and skin care

is a general label for light edible plant oils rather than emphasizing mild taste
rapeseed oil
vssalad oil
  • UK
1 3.2

A light yellow oil from the rapeseed plant used for cooking and as fuel or to oil machines

is focused on light edible plant oils for dressings rather than industrial uses
sunflower-seed oil
vssalad oil
2.7

A pale yellow liquid used for cooking and salads that comes from sunflower seeds

is the general term for light edible plant oils beyond dressing use
colza oil
vssalad oil
  • Specialized
7.0

An oil from rapeseed used for cooking, as a lubricant, or to fuel lamps

is a term for light edible plant oils used for dressings, not for fuel

Surface Forms

salad oil singular
salad oils plural

Morphology

salad + oil

The meaning 'a light edible oil used for salad dressings' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'salad' (a dish of vegetables) with 'oil' (cooking fat). This noun–noun compounding pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The compound salad oil comes from the simple idea of salad + oil: shops labeled light cooking oils 'for salads' so people would use them in dressings. That's why salad oil means a light vegetable oil used to dress or make salads.