1. Usually a cold dish consisting of vegetables; such as, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, covered with a dressing and sometimes containing seafood, meat, or eggs.
2. Any of various dishes consisting of foods; such as, meat, seafood, eggs, pasta, or fruit, prepared singly or combined; usually cut up, mixed with a dressing, and served cold. Examples include: chicken salad; potato salad.
3. Any herb or green vegetable, as lettuce, used for salads or eaten raw. 4. Any mixture or assortment: "The usual salad of writers, artists, and musicians attended the meeting."
5. Originally, a "salted" dish.

The Romans were fond of dishes of assorted raw vegetables with a dressing, and this mixture often consisted of brine; hence, the name which is short for herba salata or "salted vegetables".