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

Saturdays on the couch before the widescreen with beer, chicken wings and cheese dip might also be the best way to escape our ugly, chaotic politics. — Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026

For everyone else, there is the real-world practicum of amassing knowledge and experience that hopefully amounts to more than a shouting match over beer. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026

Thursdays and Fridays are after-work nights, and members can have a matcha, complete with collagen or creatine shots — or a beer or glass of wine. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026

Sample The Local Beer Gwinnett County’s first brewery, visit the relaxed tasting room and convivial beer garden at Slow Pour Brewing. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026

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
• light 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