ETYM French salade, OIt. salata, Italian insalata, from salare to salt, from Latin sal salt. Related to Salt, Slaw.
Food mixtures either arranged on a plate or tossed and served with a moist dressing; usually consisting of or including greens.
1. Any of various usually cold dishes: as raw greens (as lettuce) often combined with other vegetables and toppings and served especially with dressing; small pieces of food (as pasta, meat, fruit, or vegetables) usually mixed with a dressing (as mayonnaise) or set in gelatin.
2. A green vegetable or herb grown for salad; especially; lettuce.
3. A usually incongruous mixture; hodgepodge.