A term that is used to refer to a specific type of food preparation in the context of preparing vegetables. Specifically, this is what happens when a vegetable of some type is placed in a bit of oil/butter/some type of fat, cooked on a low heat and stirred frequently. The vegetables that are sweated may be seasoned (I’d recommend it), and cooked such that the liquid evaporates without the vegetable(s) in question browning. In doing so, flavors are released from the vegetables without getting them too far in the cooking process or releasing flavors associated with a Maillard reaction.

If you’re wondering how this is any different from sautéing, the key difference is the amount of heat that is used in the cooking process. It has to be a low heat. If you want a “fresh” flavor or want to add the vegetable in question to a soup or stew, this is the method you want to use.