cordial

²cor·dial

noun \ˈkȯr-jəl\

Definition of CORDIAL

1

: a stimulating medicine or drink

2

: liqueur

Examples of CORDIAL

1. It was fortunate that the boys never tested Alyce's magic, for the bottle she shook so fiercely at them was naught but blackberry cordial she was to deliver to Old Anna … —Karen Cushman, The Midwife's Apprentice, 1995
2. A boy is said to become a man when he can sip the 140-proof anise-seed cordial without wincing. —Paul L. Montgomery, New York Times, 6 Sept. 1965
3. “In this bottle,” he said, “there is a cordial made of the juice of one of the fire-flowers that grow in the mountains of the sun. If you or any of your friends are hurt, a few drops of this will restore you. —C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, 1950

Origin of CORDIAL

(see ¹cordial)

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Alcoholic Beverage Terms

finish, gimlet, mull, sake, setup, sommelier, syllabub, vintner, wassail