Word
Definitions
01alcoholic apple drink
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun British English
n. an alcoholic drink made from fermented apple juice, which can be still or bubbly.
n. an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of apple juice. In British and Australian contexts, this is the default meaning of the term.
“We sat in the pub garden and shared a cold bottle of apple cider.”
“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.
Synonyms
02non-alcoholic apple juice
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun American English
n. a fresh, non-alcoholic drink made from crushed apples, often cloudy and unfiltered.
n. a non-alcoholic, often unfiltered and unpasteurised beverage made from the expressed juice of apples.
“In the autumn, we always buy a gallon of fresh cider from the local farm.”
“The farm stand sells hot mulled cider during the winter months, seasoned with cinnamon sticks and cloves for a seasonal treat.”
Teaching tip
In the US and Canada, 'cider' usually refers to this non-alcoholic version; the alcoholic version is specifically called 'hard cider'.
Synonyms
03lemon-lime soda
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Dialect
n. a sweet, bubbly lemon-lime drink with no alcohol.
n. a non-alcoholic, lemon-lime flavoured carbonated soft drink.
“He ordered a bottle of cider to go with his lunch at the café in Tokyo.”
“The student was surprised to find that 'cider' in Seoul referred to a clear lemon-lime soda rather than an apple-based beverage.”
Teaching tip
This sense is specific to Japan and South Korea; learners should be aware that this differs significantly from the Western definition.
Synonyms
Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/cider
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR