whiskey

1 of 2

noun

whis·​key ˈ(h)wi-skē How to pronounce whiskey (audio)
variants or whisky
plural whiskeys or whiskies
1
: a liquor distilled from fermented wort (such as that obtained from rye, corn, or barley mash)
2
: a drink of whiskey

Whiskey

2 of 2

communications code word

used as a code word for the letter w

Examples of whiskey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Stroll through downtown Morgan Hill, plus taste fine whiskeys from around the world, listen to bluegrass and/or roll cigars. Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2025 In India, the largest global market for all whiskey types, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in February announced the country would decrease its 150% tariff on bourbon to 100%. Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 28 Aug. 2025 Featured Story Founder Fawn Weaver may lose control of her cult Tennessee whiskey distillery after a judge mandates a receivership—unless a white knight investor bails her out. Chloe Sorvino, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025 Next came Solórzano, who performed in a leather jacket, throwing his first snowball from a cocktail shaker—a blend of cedar, benzoin, and cardamom which conjured the smell of whiskey. Leslie Jamison, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for whiskey

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Irish uisce beatha & Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha, literally, water of life

First Known Use

Noun

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Communications Code Word

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whiskey was in 1715

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Whiskey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiskey. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

whiskey

noun
whis·​key
variants or whisky
ˈhwis-kē How to pronounce whiskey (audio)
ˈwis-
plural whiskeys or whiskies
: an alcoholic liquor made from grain (as rye, corn, or barley)
Etymology

Noun

from uisce beatha, a phrase in Irish (the ancient language of Ireland) and isuge beatha, a phrase in Scottish Gaelic (the ancient language of Scotland), both meaning literally "water of life"

Medical Definition

whiskey

noun
whis·​key
variants or whisky
plural whiskeys or whiskies
: a liquor that is distilled from the fermented mash of grain (as rye, corn, or barley) and was formerly used medicinally as a sedative and vasodilator

More from Merriam-Webster on whiskey

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