tzatziki

noun

(d)zäd-ˈzē-kē How to pronounce tzatziki (audio)
(t)sät-ˈsē-, 
(t)sat-ˈsē, 
tat-ˈsē
: a Greek yogurt sauce made with cucumbers and garlic
In Cyprus, I learned how to mix olive oil, thick yogurt, some minced garlic and chopped cucumbers to make a quick, refreshing tzatziki dip …—Nancy Harmon Jenkins

Examples of tzatziki in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Serve the chicken with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, mint leaves, pita bread and the tzatziki sauce. — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 19 May 2026 Greek salads and tzatziki for lunch; sunset dinners cooking fish caught by the local fisherman in the morning. — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026 Substitutions for other mezzes — like the creamy lemony tzatziki — are accepted. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026 Made with pita bread and stuffed with savory kafta beef, and served with a side of tzatziki or nutty tahini, arayes are simple, flavorful and are designed to be eaten on the go. — Samantha Husted, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tzatziki

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Modern Greek tzatzíki, borrowed from Turkish cacık, earlier (17th century) cacıh̯ "kind of edible herb," of obscure origin

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tzatziki was in 1960

Rhymes for tzatziki

See All Rhymes for tzatziki

Browse Nearby Words

tzar
tzatziki
tzedakah
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tzatziki.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tzatziki. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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