trimmings
TRIM-ingz
/ˈtrɪmɪŋz/
The traditional accompaniments, side dishes, or garnishes served with a main course; also, the small pieces cut off when preparing something.
Usually used in the plural. In culinary contexts, it refers to either the festive side dishes (like stuffing and gravy) or the waste pieces of meat cut away by a butcher.
The story behind the word. From the Middle English verb trimmen, meaning to make neat, prepare, or adorn. The 'trimmings' of a meal are literally the things that 'dress up' or adorn the main roast, making the table look complete and festive.
Word relationships
- accompaniments: Accompaniments is a more formal, general term, while trimmings specifically evokes traditional, festive meals or physical off-cuts.
Commonly confused with
- sides: Sides are any separate dishes ordered with a meal, while trimmings implies the specific, traditional accompaniments that complete a classic feast.
Word family
- trim (verb): To cut away excess material.
Collocations
- with all the trimmings
- meat trimmings
- traditional trimmings
Idioms & expressions
- with all the trimmings
Example sentences
- "We sat down to a magnificent roast turkey with all the trimmings, including stuffing and cranberry sauce." Holiday dinner description.
- "The butcher collected the beef trimmings to grind into fresh hamburger meat." Butcher shop preparation.
Memory hook
You trim the fat, but you also trim (decorate) the table with side dishes. Decorations for the main dish.
When not to use
Do not use to describe a main dish itself; it only refers to the secondary, accompanying items.
Fun facts
- In the fashion world, 'trimmings' refers to the decorative materials like lace, ribbons, or beads added to a garment—exactly like side dishes decorating a roast!
Related words
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