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"It has become quite a common proverb that in wine there is truth," wrote the 1st-century A.D. Roman scholar, Pliny the Elder. The truth about the word wine is that it goes back to Latin vinum, but it is also a distant relative of the Greek word for wine, which is oinos. Indeed, Latin borrowed from the Greek to create a combining form that means "wine," oeno-. Modern French speakers combined oeno- with -phile (Greek for "lover of") to create oenophile before we adopted it from them in the mid-1800s. Oenophiles are sure to know oenology (now more often spelled enology) as the science of wine making and oenologist (now more often enologist) for one versed in oenology.
Examples of oenophile in a Sentence
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The new perk for oenophiles is meant to celebrate the inauguration of Southwest’s new nonstop destination, Santa Rosa, which provides easy access to the Napa Valley and Sonoma wine regions.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
The Calistoga American Viticultural Area has more than 50 wineries to choose from, some of which are quite famous among oenophiles and others of which offer a more intimate experience.
—Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026
On the rooftop of The Views Baía hotel, Desarma reinvents the tedious tasting menu with ambitious, delicious works of art with every bite, paired to wines that impress even the most jaded of oenophiles.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oenophile
Cite this Entry
“Oenophile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oenophile. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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