Dictionary

libation en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /laɪˈbeɪʃən/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Latin lībātiō, from lībāre (“to take a little from anything, to taste, to pour out as an offering”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The act of pouring a liquid, most often wine, in sacrifice on the ground, on a ritual object, or on a victim, in honor of some deity.
   • While we to Jove the pure libations pay, Than Jove what apter claims the hallow'd lay? 1755, Callimachus, “The First Hymn of Callimachus. To Jupiter.”, in William Dodd, transl., The Hymns of Callimachus, […], London: […] The translator [William Dodd], […], →OCLC, page 1:
2. (countable, uncountable) The wine or liquid thus poured out.
3. (countable, humorous, often, uncountable) A beverage, especially an alcoholic one.
   • What's more, Swedish researchers found that the fat and fiber in nuts slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. This can help smooth out the effects of moderate alcohol consumption. For best results, try to eat about 15 minutes before taking your first libation. 2007 November, Elizabeth Drake, “Combine and conquer: Use these winning food pairings to protect your health”, in Men's Health, volume 22, number 9, →ISSN, page 126:
   • […] watching you, the waiters, not quite making eye-contact but scanning for any little way to be of service, plus plum-jacketed sommeliers walking around to see if you need a non-buffet libation… 1997, David Foster Wallace, “A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again”, in A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, Kindle edition, Little, Brown Book Group:

Forms

Deriveds

libatious · libationary · libational

Relateds

libate · potation · libationer

Synonyms

alcohol · tipple · tincture · adult beverage · grog · liquor · hard drink · sauce · potation · nightcap · lush · tiddly · tipping · bevvy · libation · fuddling · potent potable · drink · shot · tip · booze · strong water · strong drink · carouse

Translations (85)

sv offervin (liquid poured out) · he נסך (liquid poured out) · et jook ohver (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · bn তর্পণ (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · eo trinki (alcoholic beverage) · ja 献酒 (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · sv offerdryck (liquid poured out) · kn ಮದ್ಯಪಾನ (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · pt libação (liquid poured out) · pt libação (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · cmn 獻酒 /献酒 (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · fi juomauhri (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · lv iedzeršana (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · gd deoch-ìobairt (liquid poured out) · bn তর্পণ (alcoholic beverage) · da drikoffer (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · th การดื่มสุรา (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · de Libation (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · hu italáldozat (liquid poured out) · sv dryckesoffer (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · pl libacja (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · ca libació (liquid poured out) · grc χοή (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · cmn 奠祭 (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · it libamento (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · grc σπονδή (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · es libación (alcoholic beverage) · sq pije alkoolike (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · cs úlitba (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · hu boráldozat (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · gu મદ્ય (alcoholic beverage) · de Drink (alcoholic beverage) · bn তর্পণ (liquid poured out) · af drankoffer (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · it libagione (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · ru вы́пивка (alcoholic beverage) · hu boráldozat (liquid poured out) · sv libation (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · ru либа́ция (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · de Trankopfer (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · fi ryyppy (alcoholic beverage) · ru возлия́ние (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · lv iedzeršana (alcoholic beverage) · la libatio (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · fa نثار (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · vi sự rảy ra (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · el σπονδή (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · ja 神酒 (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · fr libation (alcoholic beverage) · nl plengoffer (alcoholic beverage) · nl plengoffer (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · ca libació (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · fa زوهر (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · fa زور (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · sv libation (liquid poured out) · th การดื่มสุรา (alcoholic beverage) · nl plengoffer (liquid poured out) · pt libação (alcoholic beverage) · fi juomauhri (liquid poured out) · ko 헌주 (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · sh алкохолно пиће (alcoholic beverage) · es libación (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · be паліва́ньне (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · ko 신주 (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · hu szeszesital (alcoholic beverage) · it libamento (liquid poured out) · gu મદ્ય (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · he נסך (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · sq pije alkoolike (alcoholic beverage) · no drikkofferet (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · pt bebida (alcoholic beverage) · sh alkoholno piće (alcoholic beverage) · grc λοιβήή (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · de Getränk (alcoholic beverage) · de Opferwein (liquid poured out) · hi मदिरा (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · hu italáldozat (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · cmn 奠 (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · cmn 奠酒 (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · tr libasyon (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · fr libation (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · kn ಮದ್ಯಪಾನ (alcoholic beverage) · gd deoch-ìobairt (act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice) · hi मदिरा (alcoholic beverage) · ja 酒 (alcoholic beverage)