oenophile

noun

oe·​no·​phile ˈē-nə-ˌfī(-ə)l How to pronounce oenophile (audio)
: a lover or connoisseur of wine

Did you know?

"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

Recent Examples on the Web Much like oenophiles, devoted coffee drinkers are an exacting breed, with their preferences for specific coffee beans and opinions on the ideal temperature for drinking their morning brew. Juliet Izon, wsj.com, 26 Sep. 2023 The Zamorano Club, a men’s group named for the man who brought the first printing press to California, welcomed bibliophiles, oenophiles, foodies, collectors, art patrons, conversationalists, and tastemakers. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2023 At the other end, under a lower, more intimate ceiling and catering to oenophiles, is a dining area with two massive, floor-to-ceiling wine display cases with custom lighting. Mark David, Robb Report, 14 Nov. 2023 Joining Saito now are mentee Earl Aguilar and beverage director Ian Lokey, who has curated a wine program certain to beguile oenophiles. Elycia Rubin, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2023 These two incidents offer lovers of Italian wine two reasons to celebrate; Bertani’s simultaneous release of a handful of library vintages add another layer of excitement for oenophiles. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2023 Picnic-portable bag Wine Enthusiast’s Insulated 2-Bottle Wine Picnic Cooler Bag streamlines outdoor living for the burgeoning oenophile, says Jhonatan Adame Mejia, wine director at the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Mexico in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Hannah Selinger, wsj.com, 1 Oct. 2023 Blue Ridge is in the heart of North Georgia wine country, so oenophiles have a wide selection of places to taste the region’s grapes. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2023 Texas Hill Country has its fair share of places to grab a drink — especially for oenophiles. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 8 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oenophile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French œnophile, from œno- (from Greek oinos wine) + -phile -phile — more at wine

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oenophile was in 1865

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Cite this Entry

“Oenophile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oenophile. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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