celery salt: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal / Culinary
Quick answer
What does “celery salt” mean?
A seasoning mixture of ground celery seeds and salt.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A seasoning mixture of ground celery seeds and salt.
A condiment used to add a savory, celery-like flavor to dishes, typically composed of celery seed powder and either table salt or sea salt.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences, but more commonly found in recipes for North American-style dishes (e.g., hot dogs, potato salad, Bloody Marys) in the US. In the UK, it is associated with certain traditional recipes and is sometimes marketed as a 'seasoning salt'.
Connotations
Primarily culinary with neutral to slightly old-fashioned connotations in the UK. In the US, it has strong associations with diner food, barbecues, and casual cooking.
Frequency
More frequently encountered in American recipe books and on supermarket spice aisles than in British ones.
Grammar
How to Use “celery salt” in a Sentence
[Season/Sprinkle] + [object: food] + [with] + celery salt[Celery salt] + [is/are] + [added/sprinkled]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “celery salt” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- A celery-salt rim garnished the cocktail glass.
- It had a distinct celery-salt flavour.
American English
- He preferred a celery-salt seasoning blend.
- The celery-salt mixture was homemade.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in the context of food manufacturing, spice trade, or restaurant supply.
Academic
Rare; might appear in historical or cultural studies of food.
Everyday
Primarily in home cooking, recipe discussions, and food shopping.
Technical
Used in food science, culinary arts, and gastronomy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “celery salt”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “celery salt”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “celery salt”
- Using it interchangeably with celery seed (which lacks salt).
- Confusing it with garlic salt or onion salt.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, simply grind dried celery seeds and mix them with an equal part or to taste of fine sea salt or table salt.
Celery salt is a blend of ground celery seed and salt. Celery seed is just the ground seed itself, with no added salt.
It's often used in potato salad, coleslaw, Bloody Mary cocktails, on hot dogs, in barbecue rubs, and in some soups and stews.
Not particularly. It is still primarily salt, so it should be used with the same dietary considerations regarding sodium intake.
A seasoning mixture of ground celery seeds and salt.
Celery salt is usually informal / culinary in register.
Celery salt: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsel.ər.i ˌsɒlt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsel.ər.i ˌsɑːlt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not applicable”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CELERY gives the flavor, SALT gives the base – together they SEASON.
Conceptual Metaphor
SEASONING IS ENHANCEMENT / FLAVOR IS A COMPONENT
Practice
Quiz
What is celery salt primarily used for?