whiskey
whiskey Lexical Profile
whiskey Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American An alcoholic liquor distilled from a fermented mash of grain, such as barley, rye, or corn, and typically aged in wooden casks.
"After a long day in the cold, he sat by the fire and poured himself a glass of aged bourbon whiskey."
A single serving, glass, or specific variety of this distilled liquor.
"The bartender lined up three whiskeys on the wooden counter for the arriving guests."
A code word representing the letter W, used in radio communication.
"The pilot confirmed the coordinates, reading back the final letters as Victor, Whiskey, X-ray."
Word Nuance & Usage
The spelling 'whiskey' is generally used for spirits distilled in Ireland and the United States, whereas 'whisky' is traditionally used for those produced in Scotland, Canada, and Japan.
• Rhymes for whiskey
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Classical Irish 'uisce beatha' or Scottish Gaelic 'uisge beatha', meaning 'water of life', which is a calque of the Latin 'aqua vitae'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.