Definitions
01alcoholic spirit
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a strong alcoholic drink made from grains like rye, corn, or barley.
n. a potent spirit distilled from the fermented mash of various grains, typically aged in wooden casks.
“He poured a little whiskey into his glass and added a single ice cube.”
“The distillery produces a premium whiskey that is aged for twelve years in charred oak barrels to develop its distinct smoky flavour.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the liquid in general.
Teaching tip
Note the spelling: 'whiskey' is standard in Ireland and the US, while 'whisky' is used in Scotland and Canada.
02a single drink
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. one glass or serving of whiskey.
n. an individual serving or measure of whiskey.
“The man at the bar ordered two whiskeys for himself and his friend.”
“After a long day in the cold, the hikers stopped at a local pub and ordered a round of whiskeys to warm up.”
Usage
Countable in this sense.
03a horse carriage
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Literary
n. a light, fast carriage pulled by one horse, used in the past.
n. a light, two-wheeled carriage designed for speed and drawn by a single horse.
“The young gentleman drove his whiskey through the park at a dangerous speed.”
“In the nineteenth-century novel, the protagonist arrives at the estate in a fashionable whiskey, much to the surprise of the local villagers.”
Teaching tip
This sense is extremely rare in modern English and is only found in historical literature.
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥der. Proto-Celtic *udenskyos Old Irish uisce Irish uisce Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós Proto-Celtic *biwos Proto-Celtic *-tūts Proto-Celtic *biwotūts Old Irish bethu Irish beatha Medieval Latin aqua vītaecalq. Irish uisce beathabor. ▲ Old Irish uisce Scottish Gaelic uisge ▲ Old Irish bethu Scottish Gaelic beatha Medieval Latin aqua vītaecalq. Scottish Gaelic uisge-beathabor. English usquebaugh English usque English whiskey Variant of usque, abbreviation of usquebaugh, from Irish uisce beatha, calque of Medieval Latin aqua vītae (“water of life”). Compare akvavit, aquavit, aqua vitae, eau de vie, and water of life from the same source and vodka from a Russian diminutive for water in reference to the dilution of pure grain spirits.
From whisk + -ey.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
01. whiskey dick
- 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/whiskey
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR