What does sausage mean?
A sausage is a food made from seasoned minced meat, usually pork, beef, or a combination, enclosed in an edible casing. Common varieties include breakfast sausage, blood sausage, pork sausage, and the types used in dishes such as sausage rolls. In British and American English, the word normally refers to the food, although informal or dated figurative uses can describe a cowardly or contemptible person; a separate vulgar use refers to the penis. The word has culinary and cultural significance beyond a simple list of meats, since sausages are often associated with preservation, regional traditions, grilling, and national cuisines. Its history reflects the practical use of salt and spices to preserve meat, with the modern word developing through French from a Latin term connected with “salt.”
A food made from seasoned minced meat enclosed in an edible skin or casing.
"We had grilled sausage with bread and tomato sauce."
This is the ordinary modern culinary sense. The particular ingredients and style vary widely by region and type.
Informally and disparagingly, a cowardly or contemptible person.
"He refused the challenge and behaved like a sausage."
This sense is informal and can sound dated, especially outside contexts in which playful insults are common.
Vulgarly, a penis.
"The joke uses sausage as a crude substitute for the anatomical term."
This is a vulgar use and is unsuitable for formal or polite contexts.
The regular plural is “sausages,” used for individual pieces or, collectively, for the food.
"The pan was filled with sizzling sausages."
The word sausage ultimately reaches back to Latin sal, meaning “salt,” reflecting the importance of salt in preserving meat.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sausage come from?
The English word comes through Old French sausage, ultimately from Latin salsicia, a term associated with salted or seasoned meat. The underlying idea is related to Latin sal, meaning “salt,” reflecting the use of salt in preserving and preparing meat. Related forms in other European languages, including salami and salchicha, reflect the same broad culinary and linguistic tradition.
How sausage is actually used
The ordinary culinary meaning is neutral and common in British and American English. The meanings referring to a person or the penis are informal, and the former can sound dated or insulting; the latter is vulgar.
Easily confused with sausage
Sausage is a broad category of seasoned minced meat in a casing, while salami is a particular type of cured, often dry, Italian sausage.