beer

noun

ˈbir 

1

: a carbonated, fermented alcoholic beverage that is usually made from malted cereal grain (especially barley), is flavored with hops, and typically contains less than a 5% alcohol content compare ale, craft beer, lager entry 1, malt liquor sense 2

2

: a carbonated nonalcoholic or a fermented slightly alcoholic beverage with flavoring from roots or other plant parts

birch beer

3

: fermented mash

4

: a drink of beer

Examples of beer in a Sentence

Would you like beer with dinner?

The pub brews its own beer.

I'll have a beer, please.

a couple of cold beers

a glass of birch beer

Recent Examples on the Web

The atmosphere is more family-friendly and festival-like, with food and beer, live music and fire pits. —Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 26 Oct. 2025

Fraternity houses throughout the country are trading beers for Bibles as university students are turning to Christianity in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025

According to Action Network, the Red Sox entered the 2025 season as the least affordable ticket in the game for a family of four (including four tickets, two beers, two soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking, a souvenir hat, and factoring in a ballpark’s child admission policy). —Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025

Dodgers and Blue Jays, sports-betting and beer, auto loans and iPhones. —Scott Simon, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ber, going back to Old English bēor, akin to Old High German bior "beer," Old Norse bjórr; perhaps all going back to a dissimilated form of Germanic *breura-, a nominal derivative of *brewwan- "to brew entry 1"

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing beer

• beer and skittles
• beer belly
• beer goggles
• beer gut
• beer mat
• beer pong
• craft beer
• ginger beer
• lager beer
• near beer
• root beer
• small beer
• spruce beer

Rhymes for beer

• bier
• cheer
• clear
• dear
• deer
• drear
• ear
• fear
• fier
• gear
• hear
• here

Kids Definition

beer

noun

ˈbi(ə)r 

1

: an alcoholic drink made from malt and flavored with hops

2

: a nonalcoholic drink made from roots or other parts of plants

birch beer