whiskey

See also: Whiskey

English

Glass of Irish whiskey.

Alternative forms

  • whisky (England, Scotland, Canada)

Etymology

From Irish uisce beatha and Scottish Gaelic uisge-beatha (literally “water of life”), calque of Latin aqua vitae, from Proto-Celtic *udenskyos (“water”) + Proto-Celtic *biwotos (“life”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈwɪski/
  • (without the wine–whine merger) IPA(key): /ˈʍɪski/
  • Rhymes: -ɪski
  • Hyphenation: whis‧key

Noun

whiskey (countable and uncountable, plural whiskeys or whiskies)

  1. (Ireland, US) A liquor distilled from the fermented mash of grain (as rye, corn, or barley).
    • 1753, “Historical Chronicle”, in The Gentleman's Magazine, volume XXIII, page 391:
      The exceſſive drinking of ſpirituous liquours, eſpecially whiſkey, is now become ſo common, that more people are killed by them, than by ſmall-pox, fevers, broken limbs, accidents, and all other diſtempers put together. And we are credibly informed, that in one dram ſhop only in this town, there are 120 gallons of that accurſed ſpirit, whiſkey, ſold.
  2. (Ireland, US) A drink of whiskey.
  3. The letter W in the ICAO spelling alphabet.

Usage notes

The regional spellings whiskey and whisky are also used world-wide to distinguish regional drinks, for example bourbon whiskey, but Scotch whisky.

Derived terms

  • whiskey-based

Translations

See also

French

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Scottish Gaelic uisce or Irish uisce via English whisky, whiskey

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /wis.ki/

Noun

whiskey m (plural whiskeys)

  1. whiskey (drink)

Further reading

Portuguese

Noun

whiskey m (plural whiskeys)

  1. Alternative form of uísque

Spanish

Noun

whiskey m (plural whiskeys or whiskey)

  1. whiskey
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