salsa

See also: Salsa and salsą

English

Green and red salsa (spicy tomato sauce).

Salsa dancers dancing salsa.

Etymology

PIE word
*sḗh₂l

Borrowed from Spanish salsa (“sauce”), from Latin salsus (“salted”), whence also the doublet sauce (via Old French).

Pronunciation

• (US) enPR: sälʹsə, IPA^(key): /ˈsɑl.sə/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsæl.sə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːlsə, -ælsə

Noun

salsa (countable and uncountable, plural salsas)

2. (countable) A spicy tomato sauce of Mexican origin, often including onions and hot peppers.
   • 1994 July 21, Faye Fiore, “Congress relishes another franking privilege: Meat lobby puts on the dog with exclusive luncheon for lawmakers – experts on pork”, in Los Angeles Times‎^[1], archived from the original on 26 February 2026:

     Congressmen gleefully wolfed down every imaginable version of the hot dog – smoked kielbasas, jumbo grillers, Big & Juicy's, kosher dogs and spiced dogs – topped with every imaginable condiment – hot mustard, sweet mustard, jalapenos, spaghetti sauce, regular relish, corn relish, maple syrup salsa and the secret sauce of Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.). ("If I told you the recipe," an aide explained, "I'd have to shoot you.")

4. (uncountable, music) A style of urban music originally from New York heavily influenced by Cuban dance music, jazz and rock.
   • 2007 January 7, Alex Mindlin, “For a Shuttered Marina, Some Regret, Some Relief”, in The New York Times‎^[2], archived from the original on 11 April 2021:

     The marina was a mainstay of the neighborhood, and Mr. O’Rourke was known for staging salsa and merengue concerts.

6. (countable, dance) Any of several dances performed to salsa music.

Usage notes

• In the context of gastronomy, English speakers typically use salsa to refer to the Mexican tomato-based dish, which varies widely in regards to texture, flavor, and certain ingredients. When referring to pureed spicy sauce sold in bottles, however, the term hot sauce is typically used.

Derived terms

• salsa golf
• salsalike
• salsa-like
• salsamole
• salsarita
• salsa sauce
• salsatheque
• songo-salsa

Related terms

• salsa roja
• salt

Descendants

• → Mongolian: салса (salsa)

Translations

spicy tomato sauce

• Afrikaans: salsa
• Esperanto: saŭco
• Finnish: salsa (fi)
• French: sauce salsa (fr) f, salsa (fr) f
• Japanese: サルサ (sarusa)
• Korean: 살사 (salsa)
• Polish: salsa (pl) f
• Russian: са́льса (ru) f (sálʹsa)
• Spanish: salsa mexicana f, salsa picante f, salsita f (diminutive)
• Swedish: salsa (sv) c, tomatsalsa (sv) c

style of music

• Afrikaans: salsa
• Esperanto: salso
• Finnish: salsa (fi)
• French: salsa (fr) f
• Japanese: サルサ (sarusa)
• Korean: 살사 (salsa)
• Marathi: साल्सा n (sālsā)
• Mongolian: салса (salsa)
• Polish: salsa (pl) f
• Portuguese: salsa (pt) f
• Russian: са́льса (ru) f (sálʹsa)
• Swedish: salsa (sv) c

dance

• Afrikaans: salsa
• Czech: salsa (cs) f
• Esperanto: salso
• Finnish: salsa (fi)
• French: salsa (fr) f
• Greek: σάλσα (el) (sálsa)
• Hebrew: סלסה (he)
• Japanese: サルサ (sarusa)
• Korean: 살사 (salsa)
• Marathi: साल्सा m (sālsā)
• Polish: salsa (pl) f
• Russian: са́льса (ru) f (sálʹsa)
• Swedish: salsa (sv) c

References

• 2001. The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music: North America. Garland Publishing. Ellen Koskoff (Ed.). Pg. 336.

Verb

salsa (third-person singular simple present salsas, present participle salsaing, simple past and past participle salsaed)

1. (intransitive) To dance the salsa.

   They salsaed late until the night.

Anagrams

• Salas, Lassa, salas

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Old Catalan salsa, from Vulgar Latin *salsa, a noun based on the feminine of Latin salsus (“salted”), perfect passive participle of salīre, a verb based on sāl.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central) [ˈsal.sə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia, Northwestern) [ˈsal.sa]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Noun

salsa f (plural salses)

1. sauce
2. salsa (music)
3. salsa (dance)

Derived terms

• salsa bolonyesa
• salsa de soia
• salsa rolla
• salsar
• salsera

Related terms

• salsir
• salsitxa

References

• “salsa”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “salsa”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “salsa” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “salsa”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Cebuano

Etymology

From English salsa. Doublet of sarsa.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: sal‧sa

Noun

salsa

1. salsa; a spicy tomato sauce
2. salsa music
3. any of several dances performed to salsa music

Czech

Noun

salsa f

1. salsa (dance)

Declension

Declension of salsa (hard feminine)

	singular	plural
nominative	salsa	salsy
genitive	salsy	sals
dative	salse	salsám
accusative	salsu	salsy
vocative	salso	salsy
locative	salse	salsách
instrumental	salsou	salsami

Further reading

• “salsa”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɑl.saː/
• Hyphenation: sal‧sa

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English salsa, from Spanish salsa, from Latin salsus.

Noun

salsa m (plural salsa's, no diminutive)

1. salsa (dance)

Derived terms

• salsadans
• salsaën

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish salsa, from Latin salsus.

Noun

salsa m (plural salsa's, no diminutive)

1. salsa (spicy tomato sauce)

Related terms

• saus

Finnish

Etymology

From Spanish salsa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɑlsɑ/, [ˈs̠ɑ̝ls̠ɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑlsɑ
• Syllabification^(key): sal‧sa
• Hyphenation^(key): sal‧sa

Noun

salsa

1. salsa (sauce)
2. (music) salsa
3. (dance) salsa

Declension

Inflection of salsa (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		salsa	salsat
genitive		salsan	salsojen
partitive		salsaa	salsoja
illative		salsaan	salsoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		salsa	salsat
accusative	nom.	salsa	salsat
	gen.	salsan
genitive		salsan	salsojen salsain rare
partitive		salsaa	salsoja
inessive		salsassa	salsoissa
elative		salsasta	salsoista
illative		salsaan	salsoihin
adessive		salsalla	salsoilla
ablative		salsalta	salsoilta
allative		salsalle	salsoille
essive		salsana	salsoina
translative		salsaksi	salsoiksi
abessive		salsatta	salsoitta
instructive		—	salsoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of salsa (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative salsani salsani accusative nom. salsani salsani gen. salsani genitive salsani salsojeni salsaini rare partitive salsaani salsojani inessive salsassani salsoissani elative salsastani salsoistani illative salsaani salsoihini adessive salsallani salsoillani ablative salsaltani salsoiltani allative salsalleni salsoilleni essive salsanani salsoinani translative salsakseni salsoikseni abessive salsattani salsoittani instructive — — comitative — salsoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative salsasi salsasi accusative nom. salsasi salsasi gen. salsasi genitive salsasi salsojesi salsaisi rare partitive salsaasi salsojasi inessive salsassasi salsoissasi elative salsastasi salsoistasi illative salsaasi salsoihisi adessive salsallasi salsoillasi ablative salsaltasi salsoiltasi allative salsallesi salsoillesi essive salsanasi salsoinasi translative salsaksesi salsoiksesi abessive salsattasi salsoittasi instructive — — comitative — salsoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative salsamme salsamme accusative nom. salsamme salsamme gen. salsamme genitive salsamme salsojemme salsaimme rare partitive salsaamme salsojamme inessive salsassamme salsoissamme elative salsastamme salsoistamme illative salsaamme salsoihimme adessive salsallamme salsoillamme ablative salsaltamme salsoiltamme allative salsallemme salsoillemme essive salsanamme salsoinamme translative salsaksemme salsoiksemme abessive salsattamme salsoittamme instructive — — comitative — salsoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative salsanne salsanne accusative nom. salsanne salsanne gen. salsanne genitive salsanne salsojenne salsainne rare partitive salsaanne salsojanne inessive salsassanne salsoissanne elative salsastanne salsoistanne illative salsaanne salsoihinne adessive salsallanne salsoillanne ablative salsaltanne salsoiltanne allative salsallenne salsoillenne essive salsananne salsoinanne translative salsaksenne salsoiksenne abessive salsattanne salsoittanne instructive — — comitative — salsoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative salsansa salsansa accusative nom. salsansa salsansa gen. salsansa genitive salsansa salsojensa salsainsa rare partitive salsaansa salsojaan salsojansa inessive salsassaan salsassansa salsoissaan salsoissansa elative salsastaan salsastansa salsoistaan salsoistansa illative salsaansa salsoihinsa adessive salsallaan salsallansa salsoillaan salsoillansa ablative salsaltaan salsaltansa salsoiltaan salsoiltansa allative salsalleen salsallensa salsoilleen salsoillensa essive salsanaan salsanansa salsoinaan salsoinansa translative salsakseen salsaksensa salsoikseen salsoiksensa abessive salsattaan salsattansa salsoittaan salsoittansa instructive — — comitative — salsoineen salsoinensa

Synonyms

• (sauce): salsakastike

Derived terms

compounds

• salsakastike

Further reading

• “salsa”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

French

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (France (Agen)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

Noun

salsa f (plural salsas)

1. salsa (dance or music)
2. salsa (sauce)

Galician

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *salsa, noun use of the feminine of Latin salsus (“salted”), from saliō, from sal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsalsa/ [ˈs̺ɑl.s̺ɐ]
• Rhymes: -alsa
• Hyphenation: sal‧sa

Noun

salsa f (plural salsas)

1. sauce, gravy (liquid condiment)

   Synonyms: mollo, prebe

2. salt water

   Synonym: auga salgada

3. seawater

   Synonym: auga do mar

4. brine

   Synonym: salmoira

5. (figurative) gift of the gab
6. salsa (tomato sauce)
7. salsa (dance)

Derived terms

• aínda é máis cara a salsa que o peixe
• salseira
• salseiro

Related terms

• sal

References

• “salsa”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026
• “salsa”, in Dicionário Estraviz de galego (in Galician), 2014–2026
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “salsa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “salsa”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “salsa”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsal.sa/
• Rhymes: -alsa
• Hyphenation: sàl‧sa

Etymology 1

From Vulgar Latin *salsa, noun use of the feminine of Latin salsus (“salted”), from saliō, from sal.

Noun

salsa f (plural salse)

1. sauce

Related terms

• salso
• salare
• sale

Descendants

• → Greek: σάλτσα (sáltsa)
  • → Ottoman Turkish: صالچه (salça)
    • Turkish: salça
• → Ottoman Turkish: صالسه (salsa)

Etymology 2

From Spanish salsa.

Noun

salsa f (uncountable)

1. salsa (dance)

Anagrams

• lassa

Latin

Adjective

salsa

1. inflection of salsus:
   1. nominative/vocative feminine singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter plural

Adjective

salsā

1. ablative feminine singular of salsus

References

• "salsa", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish salsa, from Latin salsus (“salted”). Doublet of sos (“sauce”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsal.sa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alsa
• Syllabification: sal‧sa

Noun

salsa f

1. salsa (spicy tomato sauce)
2. salsa (dance)

Declension

Declension of salsa

	singular	plural
nominative	salsa	salsy
genitive	salsy	sals
dative	salsie	salsom
accusative	salsę	salsy
instrumental	salsą	salsami
locative	salsie	salsach
vocative	salso	salsy

Further reading

• “salsa”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[4] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “salsa”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[5] (in Polish)

Portuguese

salsa

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsaw.sɐ/ [ˈsaʊ̯.sɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsaw.sɐ/ [ˈsaʊ̯.sɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈsaw.sa/ [ˈsaʊ̯.sa]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈsal.sɐ/ [ˈsaɫ.sɐ]

• Audio (Brazil (Caipira)):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: sal‧sa

Etymology 1

Inherited from Latin salsa herba (“salted herb”).

Noun

salsa f (plural salsas)

1. parsley (Petroselinum crispum, a herb)

   Synonyms: perrexil, salsinha

Derived terms

• salsa-americana
• salsa-ardente
• salsa-branca
• salsa-brava
• salsa-crespa
• salsa-da-praia
• salsa-de-água
• salsa-de-burro
• salsa-de-castanheiro
• salsa-de-cavalos
• salsa-de-cheiro
• salsa-de-cupim
• salsa-do-brejo
• salsa-do-campo
• salsa-do-mato
• salsa-do-monte
• salsa-do-rio-grande-do-sul
• salsa-do-rio-novo
• salsa-dos-cavalos
• salsa-dos-pântanos
• salsa-gorda
• salsa-leitosa
• salsa-moura

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish salsa.

Noun

salsa f (uncountable)

1. (music, dance genre) salsa (a music and dance genre influenced by Cuban music, jazz and rock)

Further reading

• “salsa”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “salsa”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Spanish salsa.

Noun

salsa f (plural salse)

1. salsa

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	salsă	salsa	salse	salsele
genitive-dative	salse	salsei	salse	salselor
vocative	salsă, salso		salselor

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Vulgar Latin *salsa, noun use of the feminine of Latin salsus (“salted”), from saliō, from sal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsalsa/ [ˈsal.sa]

• Audio (Colombia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alsa
• Syllabification: sal‧sa

Noun

salsa f (plural salsas)

1. sauce, gravy (liquid condiment)
2. (Latin America) A sauce and/or dip of varying textures with a typical base of tomatoes, onion, and chili peppers.
3. salsa (style of music)
4. salsa (dance performed to salsa music)

Derived terms

• dar la salsa
• en su salsa, en su propia salsa
• salsa alfredo
• salsa balandra
• salsa bearnesa
• salsa blanca
• salsa bordelesa
• salsa brava
• salsa cazadora
• salsa china
• salsa criolla
• salsa de menta
• salsa de soja
• salsa de soya
• salsa de tomate
• salsa española
• salsa holandesa
• salsa inglesa
• salsa marinara
• salsa mayordoma
• salsa mil islas
• salsa picante
• salsa ravigote
• salsa rosa
• salsa rubia
• salsa siciliana
• salsa suprema
• salsa tártara
• salsa verde
• salsa vinagreta
• salsear
• salsera
• salsereta
• salserilla
• salsero
• salserón
• salseruela
• vale más la salsa que los perdigones

Related terms

• sal
• salar
• salso

Descendants

• → Cebuano: salsa
• → Dutch: salsa
• → English: salsa

Further reading

• “salsa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Adjective

salsa f

1. feminine singular of salso

Swedish

Noun

salsa c

1. salsa (sauce)
2. salsa (style of music)
3. salsa (dance)

Declension

Declension of salsa

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	salsa	salsas
	definite	salsan	salsans
plural	indefinite	salsor	salsors
	definite	salsorna	salsornas

References

• “salsa”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “salsa”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “salsa”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish salsa, from Latin salsus (“salted”). Doublet of sarsa.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈsalsa/ [ˈsal.sɐ]
• Rhymes: -alsa
• Syllabification: sal‧sa

Noun

salsa (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜎ᜔ᜐ)

1. (dance) salsa
2. alternative form of sarsa

Derived terms

• salsahan
• salsahin

Related terms

• ensalada
• pandesal
• sal
• saladyo
• salara
• salaryo
• salinidad
• salmuwera
• salsereta
• sarsa
• sarsa agridulse
• sarsa pikante
• sarsiyado

References

• “salsa”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018

Anagrams

• sasal, salas, Salas