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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
Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
At the Grapevine tasting room, oenophiles guide you through what to look for in wine, from smell and taste to texture and mouthfeel.
—Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 18 Jan. 2026
Unlike other regions that have a reputation for one style of wine, Washington offers a wide range of varieties to satisfy any oenophile’s cravings, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Riesling.
—Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 8 Jan. 2026
Chef-owner Ki Kim is an oenophile, and the beverage pairing (at $190 per person) leans into French and German wines and boutique sakes.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 2 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 22 Jan. 2026.
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