cocktail
cocktail Lexical Profile
cocktail Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An alcoholic drink consisting of one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients, such as fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream.
"The bartender skillfully mixed a refreshing gin cocktail with fresh lime and mint."
A diverse mixture or combination of different elements, often unexpected or potent.
"The current economic crisis is a dangerous cocktail of high inflation and soaring unemployment."
An appetizer consisting of a mixture of small pieces of food, such as fruit or seafood, typically served at the beginning of a meal.
"We started the banquet with a classic shrimp cocktail served on a bed of crisp lettuce."
• Rhymes for cocktail
Word Origin & Etymology
Early 19th century (originally US): perhaps derived from the term for a horse with a docked tail (which stuck up like a rooster's tail), which denoted a horse of mixed breed. The term was subsequently applied to a 'mixed' drink.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.