A dip is a thick, creamy, or chunky sauce or spread served alongside crackers, chips, vegetables, bread, or meat for scooping or dunking. Unlike a sauce, which is often poured over food, a dip is thick enough to hold on a chip or vegetable without a utensil; many dips (like hummus) can also double as spreads.
Dips appear across many culinary traditions - Middle Eastern hummus and baba ghanoush, Greek tzatziki, Mexican salsa, guacamole, and queso dip - usually built on a dairy, legume, or vegetable base blended with seasonings, herbs, and an acid like lemon juice or vinegar.
Dips can be served chilled, at room temperature, or warm, and are typically grouped by flavor profile: creamy (ranch, blue cheese), spicy (sriracha, buffalo), or herbal (pesto, tzatziki).