Etymology

French dressing

Today it means: A mixture of vinegar, oil and other herbs or flavourings (vinaigrette). Full definition →

First used the 1950s
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The story

Named in the Anglophone world for the early origins, in French vinaigrettes, that inspired later versions, although the present-day conventions for the dressing's composition do not directly reflect the original French influence; more at Wikipedia. Compare French fries regarding the name mostly not reflecting any direct French influence.

First known use, by meaning

  • From the 1950s A salad dressing that is a uniform viscous sauce with a tangy sweet flavor. It is generally made from vegetable oil, vinegar, ketchup (or tomato puree), water, paprika, other spices, and sweeteners.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.