whiskey en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥der. Proto-Celtic *udenskyos Old Irish uisce Irish uisce Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós Proto-Celtic *biwos Proto-Celtic *-tūts Proto-Celtic *biwotūts Old Irish bethu Irish beatha Medieval Latin aqua vītaecalq. Irish uisce beathabor. ▲ Old Irish uisce Scottish Gaelic uisge ▲ Old Irish bethu Scottish Gaelic beatha Medieval Latin aqua vītaecalq. Scottish Gaelic uisge-beathabor. English usquebaugh English usque English whiskey Variant of usque, abbreviation of usquebaugh, from Irish uisce beatha, calque of Medieval Latin aqua vītae (“water of life”). Compare akvavit, aquavit, aqua vitae, eau de vie, and water of life from the same source and vodka from a Russian diminutive for water in reference to the dilution of pure grain spirits.
Meanings
-
(England, Ireland, US, countable, uncountable) A liquor distilled from the fermented mash of grain (as rye, corn, or barley).
Then the boiling water was brought in, and such a jug of whiskey punch as was made! Take my word for it, - it did not, like honest Robin Craig's, require to be hung out on the bush to let the water drain out of it.
1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 540: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.
1753 September 14, “Historical Chronicle”, in The Gentleman's Magazine, volume XXIII, number VIII, London, page 391:
- (England, Ireland, US, countable, uncountable) A drink of whiskey.
- (alt-of, countable, qualifier:international standards, uncountable) Alternative letter-case form of Whiskey from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| whiskies | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| whisky | Australia, Canada, New-Zealand, Scotland, alternative | lexicographic | |
| whiskeys | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
whiskey tango foxtrot · whiskey glass · corn whiskey · whiskey grass · whiskey butter · whiskey jack · Irish whiskey · blockade whiskey · grain whiskey · if-by-whiskey · whiskey sour · whiskey stone · squirrel whiskey · malt whiskey · Bourbon whiskey · Guthrie's sweet whiskey · whiskey fungus · pisskey · Whiskeyleaks · sweet whiskey · whiskey seat · hot whiskey · whiskeytini · sorghum whiskey · whiskey dick · whiskey-jack
Descendants
chwisgi · wëshki · ਵਿਸਕੀ · wäski
Synonyms
usquebaugh · scamper juice · Devil's buttermilk
Translations (110)
he וִיסְקִי \ וויסקי (alcoholic drink) · sv whisky (alcoholic drink) · hu whisky (alcoholic drink) · hi व्हिस्की (alcoholic drink) · gv ushtey bea (alcoholic drink) · es whisky (alcoholic drink) · fr whisky (alcoholic drink) · pt whisky (alcoholic drink) · el ουίσκι (alcoholic drink) · es güisqui (alcoholic drink) · ug ۋىسكى (alcoholic drink) · ur مَدِیرا (alcoholic drink) · tr viski (alcoholic drink) · sk whisky (alcoholic drink) · hi मदिरा (alcoholic drink) · vi uýt-xki (alcoholic drink) · vo lifavat (alcoholic drink) · sw wiski (alcoholic drink) · hi विलायती पानी (alcoholic drink) · yue 威士忌 (alcoholic drink) · vi whisky (alcoholic drink) · nl whiskey (alcoholic drink) · sh vȉski (alcoholic drink) · vi uýt-ki (alcoholic drink) · br wiski (alcoholic drink) · unm wëshki (alcoholic drink) · kw hwiski (alcoholic drink) · id wiski (alcoholic drink) · ms wiski (alcoholic drink) · kmr wîskî (alcoholic drink) · lt viskis (alcoholic drink) · taa kwn' tu' (alcoholic drink) · ga fuisce (alcoholic drink) · ro whisky (alcoholic drink) · fa-ira ویسْکی (alcoholic drink) · km វីស្គី (alcoholic drink) · uk ві́скі (alcoholic drink) · uz viski (alcoholic drink) · si විස්කි (alcoholic drink) · ka ვისკი (alcoholic drink) · aht konʼ tuʼ (alcoholic drink) · my ဝီစကီ (alcoholic drink) · sl viski (alcoholic drink) · sq uiski (alcoholic drink) · kl whisky (alcoholic drink) · ps ويسکي (alcoholic drink) · de Whisky (alcoholic drink) · gl whisky (alcoholic drink) · af whisky (alcoholic drink) · cmn 威士忌 (alcoholic drink) · mel wiski (alcoholic drink) · bg уи́ски (alcoholic drink) · yi וויסקי (alcoholic drink) · ja ウイスキー (alcoholic drink) · ast güisqui (alcoholic drink) · pl whisky (alcoholic drink) · hi शराब (alcoholic drink) · mhr виски (alcoholic drink) · ko 위스키 (alcoholic drink) · apw túnchʼíʼ (alcoholic drink) · vo filavin (alcoholic drink) · nb whisky (alcoholic drink) · ga uisce beatha (alcoholic drink) · oc oísqui (alcoholic drink) · cmn 威士忌酒 (alcoholic drink) · be ві́скі (alcoholic drink) · yue 威士忌酒 (alcoholic drink) · vi whiskey (alcoholic drink) · th วิสกี้ (alcoholic drink) · ru ви́ски (alcoholic drink) · tl wiski (alcoholic drink) · pa ਵਿਸਕੀ (alcoholic drink) · az viski (alcoholic drink) · ca whisky (alcoholic drink) · vi huých-ki (alcoholic drink) · et viski (alcoholic drink) · is viskí (alcoholic drink) · mi wihikē (alcoholic drink) · tg виски (alcoholic drink) · ar وِيسْكِي (alcoholic drink) · mt wiski (alcoholic drink) · ky виски (alcoholic drink) · hy վիսկի (alcoholic drink) · bn হুইস্কি (alcoholic drink) · fi viski (alcoholic drink) · nn whisky (alcoholic drink) · sh ви̏ски (alcoholic drink) · kk виски (alcoholic drink) · gd uisge-beatha (alcoholic drink) · ar وِسْكِي (alcoholic drink) · eo viskio (alcoholic drink) · da whisky (alcoholic drink) · mk виски (alcoholic drink) · sv visky (alcoholic drink) · cy chwisgi (alcoholic drink) · pt uísque (alcoholic drink) · vi uytky (alcoholic drink) · es wiski (alcoholic drink) · akz okiimi (alcoholic drink) · tk wiski (alcoholic drink) · ja ウィスキー (alcoholic drink) · io wiskio (alcoholic drink) · mn виски (alcoholic drink) · vo viskin (alcoholic drink) · csi ʔómu líwa (alcoholic drink) · ur وْہِسْکی (alcoholic drink) · cs whisky (alcoholic drink) · it whisky (alcoholic drink) · cy whisgi (alcoholic drink) · lv viskijs (alcoholic drink)