Definitions
01year of production
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the specific year or place that something was made, especially wine.
n. the year or place in which something was produced, particularly used to identify the origin and quality of wine.
“The label on the bottle shows that the vintage was 2015.”
“Connoisseurs often debate whether the 1990 vintage produced a superior Bordeaux compared to the more celebrated 1982 harvest.”
Usage
Often used with a specific year.
02old but high quality
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. describing something from the past that is still high quality and stylish.
adj. denoting something from a previous era that is recognized for its enduring appeal, quality, or classic style.
“She loves wearing vintage clothes from the 1950s.”
“The collector spent years sourcing vintage car parts to ensure the restoration remained authentic to the original 1960s design.”
Teaching tip
Learners should distinguish 'vintage' from 'antique'; vintage usually refers to items 20–100 years old, while antiques are older.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03typical of someone
C1 · Advanced Literary
adj. showing the best or most typical qualities of a person or their work.
adj. representing the best or most characteristic examples of a person's work or behavior.
“The striker scored a goal that was vintage Ronaldo.”
“The director's latest film features a vintage blend of dark humor and sweeping cinematography that fans have come to expect.”
Usage
Often used before a name or as a predicate adjective.
Synonyms
04to harvest grapes
C2 · Proficiency Cooking Technical
v. to pick grapes to make wine.
v. to harvest grapes for the purpose of winemaking.
“The workers began to vintage the grapes in early September.”
“The estate prefers to vintage the crop by hand to ensure only the most mature clusters are selected for the premium labels.”
Usage
Primarily used in the context of viticulture.
Real-World Examples
“Designer Jeff Banks visited Affleck’s Palace, an indoor emporium selling vintage clothing.” “This is not a vintage Marseille side, but they looked it as they put four past goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen, who is on loan from Chelsea.” Etymology
From Middle English vendage, vyndage, from Anglo-Norman vendenge, from Old French vendage, vendenge (cognate with French vendange), from Latin vindēmia (“a gathering of grapes, vintage”), from vīnum (“wine”) + dēmō (“take off or away, remove”), from de (“of; from, away from”) + emō (“take”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/vintage
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0