Word
margarita
Phoneticsmar·gari·ta
US/ˌmɑɹɡɝˈitə/
UK/mˌɑːɡəɹˈiːtɐ/
Definition
n. a drink made from tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur, usually served with salt on the rim of the glass.
n. a cocktail composed of tequila, orange liqueur, and lime or lemon juice, frequently served in a glass with a salt-encrusted rim.
Examples
“She ordered a frozen margarita with extra salt.”
“After a long day at the beach, they sat on the patio and shared a pitcher of margaritas.”
“While the classic recipe calls for fresh lime juice and agave nectar, many modern bars experiment with spicy infusions or seasonal fruits to reinvent the traditional margarita.”
Examples
simple
“She ordered a frozen margarita with extra salt.”
contextual
“After a long day at the beach, they sat on the patio and shared a pitcher of margaritas.”
complex
“While the classic recipe calls for fresh lime juice and agave nectar, many modern bars experiment with spicy infusions or seasonal fruits to reinvent the traditional margarita.”
Usage
The noun is countable when referring to the drink itself and uncountable when referring to the mixture.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse the spelling of this cocktail with the 'Margherita' pizza; note the 'a' versus the 'e' in the middle.
Pitfall
I would like a Margherita, please.
I would like a margarita, please.
Use 'margarita' for the tequila drink; 'Margherita' refers to a specific type of pizza with tomato and basil.
Etymology
Borrowed from the Latin and Spanish Margarita (“Margaret”).
From Spanish margarita.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.