alcohol by volume

noun

: a measure of the concentration of alcohol in an alcoholic beverage

Last year, lawmakers passed a bill to allow those stores to start selling stronger beer, with up to 6 percent alcohol by volume, starting April 1, 2019.

—Peter Hancock

By law bourbon must be distilled at no higher than 160 proof (out of a potential 190; proof is double the percentage of alcohol by volume), but most bourbon makers distill at between 125 and 145.

—Corby Kummer

—abbreviation ABV

Examples of alcohol by volume in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to Cutwater’s, each can contains 13% alcohol by volume. — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Fraternity members failed, the suit alleged, to follow their own alcohol policies, which prohibited beverages with more than 15% alcohol by volume. — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026

An alcohol by volume tax would levy a tax directly on the alcohol content without considering how that alcohol was produced. — Adam Hoffer, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Examples of beers that might benefit from aging include some stouts, and beers with higher ABV (alcohol by volume) that are made with dark malts. — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 20 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for alcohol by volume

• multivolume