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cider

n.
US //ˈsaɪdɝ// UK //sˈaɪdɐ// cider
  1. 1 alcoholic apple drink (n.)
    B1 Intermediate British English

    an alcoholic drink made from fermented apple juice, which can be still or bubbly.

    an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of apple juice. In British and Australian contexts, this is the default meaning of the term.

    Example

    We sat in the pub garden and shared a cold bottle of apple cider.

    Example

    The region is famous for its traditional dry cider, which is fermented in oak barrels to produce a complex, tart flavour profile.

    Usage

    Often used uncountably for the liquid and countably for a glass or serving.
    • hard cider
  2. 2 non-alcoholic apple juice (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English

    a fresh, non-alcoholic drink made from crushed apples, often cloudy and unfiltered.

    a non-alcoholic, often unfiltered and unpasteurised beverage made from the expressed juice of apples.

    Example

    In the autumn, we always buy a gallon of fresh cider from the local farm.

    Example

    The farm stand sells hot mulled cider during the winter months, seasoned with cinnamon sticks and cloves for a seasonal treat.

    Teacher's tip

    In the US and Canada, 'cider' usually refers to this non-alcoholic version; the alcoholic version is specifically called 'hard cider'.
    • apple juice
    • sweet cider
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  1. 3 lemon-lime soda (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Dialect

    a sweet, bubbly lemon-lime drink with no alcohol.

    a non-alcoholic, lemon-lime flavoured carbonated soft drink.

    Example

    He ordered a bottle of cider to go with his lunch at the café in Tokyo.

    Example

    The student was surprised to find that 'cider' in Seoul referred to a clear lemon-lime soda rather than an apple-based beverage.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is specific to Japan and South Korea; learners should be aware that this differs significantly from the Western definition.
Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Semitic *šikar- Hebrew שֵׁכָרder. Ancient Greek σίκερα (síkera)bor. Medieval Latin sīcerader. Old French sidrebor. Middle English sider English cider From Middle English sider, cidre, sidre, from Old French cisdre, sidre (“beverage made from fermented apples”), from Medieval Latin sīcera, from Ancient Greek σίκερα (síkera, “fermented liquor, strong drink”), from Hebrew שֵׁכָר (šēḵār, “liquor”). Doublet of cyser. Displaced native English apple wine.

Idioms1 entry

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