spicy sauce of tomatoes and onions and chili peppers to accompany Mexican foods
"She served fresh tortilla chips with a bowl of homemade salsa, which was made from ripe tomatoes, red onions, and jalapeños."
A spicy tomato sauce, often including onions and hot peppers.
"The chef prepared a vibrant salsa using fresh tomatoes, diced red onions, and plenty of jalapeños to add heat."
In plain English: Salsa is a spicy Latin American sauce made from tomatoes, peppers, and onions that people often use to flavor food or dance to as music.
"My grandmother made delicious salsa to serve with our tacos for dinner."
Usage: Salsa refers specifically to a savory or spicy mixture of tomatoes, onions, herbs, and chilies used as a condiment rather than the Latin dance style. When ordering food, distinguish it from guacamole by noting that salsa is typically tomato-based while guacamole relies on mashed avocados.
To dance the salsa.
"After hearing the upbeat music, they all got up to salsa on the crowded floor."
The English word salsa comes from Spanish, where it originally meant "sauce." This term was borrowed from the Latin word salsus, which means "salted."