What does coleslaw mean?
Coleslaw is a cold salad made from finely shredded raw cabbage, most often bound with a mayonnaise-based dressing, though vinegar-based versions are equally traditional. Served chilled, it is a fixture of picnics, barbecues, fried-chicken dinners, and deli counters throughout the English-speaking world, valued for its crisp texture and cooling contrast to rich or smoky foods. The name derives from the Dutch 'koolsla,' meaning literally 'cabbage salad,' reflecting the dish's origins in Dutch cookery before it spread to America. While classic coleslaw contains only cabbage, countless variations add carrots, onions, apples, or herbs, and the looser term 'slaw' now covers salads built from almost any shredded vegetable. Simple, familiar, and endlessly adaptable, coleslaw remains one of the most widely served side dishes in Western cuisine.
nounA cold salad of finely shredded raw cabbage dressed with mayonnaise, vinegar, or a similar sauce.
- A cold salad made from finely shredded raw cabbage, typically dressed with mayonnaise or a vinaigrette.
"The barbecue platter came with baked beans, cornbread, and a generous scoop of coleslaw."
"She piled the pulled pork onto the bun and topped it with a spoonful of tangy coleslaw."
"The deli's coleslaw, sharp with vinegar and mustard seed, was nothing like the sweet mayonnaise-dressed kind."
Rarely pluralized since coleslaw is usually treated as an uncountable foodstuff; a plural form occasionally appears on menus distinguishing several varieties.
"The menu offers three coleslaws: classic, vinegar-based, and Asian-style."
That creamy picnic staple has Dutch roots in its very name — 'coleslaw' literally means 'cabbage salad.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coleslaw
Coleslaw comes from the Dutch 'koolsla,' a compound of 'kool' (cabbage) and 'sla' (salad), so the name translates literally as 'cabbage salad.' The word entered English via Dutch settlers in America, where the dish became a staple of the cuisine. The element 'kool' traces back through Middle Dutch and Latin 'caulis' (stem or cabbage), making it cognate with vegetable names such as kale, cauliflower, and kohlrabi.
Related word forms
How coleslaw is actually used
An everyday, informal word used chiefly in culinary contexts. In American English it often appears as a standard side dish at barbecues and diners; British usage frequently prefers the shortened form 'slaw,' sometimes applied to salads made with vegetables other than cabbage.
Easily confused with coleslaw
"Slaw" is the broader term for any shredded raw-vegetable salad, while "coleslaw" specifically refers to the cabbage-based version.