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Ask a Frenchman named "Jacques" his name, and you may very well get the reply, "Je m'appelle Jacques." The French verb appeller means "to call (by a name)," so Jacques' answer literally translates to "I call myself Jacques." Knowing the function of "appeller" makes it easy to remember that "appellation" refers to the name or title by which something is called or known. "Appeller" and "appellation" also share a common ancestor - the Latin appellare, meaning "to call or summon," formed by combining the prefix ad- ("to") with another verb, "pellere" ("to drive"). "Appellare" is also the root of our word appeal (by way of Anglo-French and Middle English), as well as "appellate," referring to a kind of court where appeals are heard.

Examples of appellation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This wine approaches the more pricey appellation of Sancerre in its depth and minerality. — Washington Post, "This sauvignon blanc tastes like a splurge, but doesn’t cost like one," 2 Jan. 2021 Not far from Buellton is Ballard Canyon, an appellation dedicated to Syrah and other Rhone varieties that was approved in 2013. — Matt Kettmann, SFChronicle.com, "The essential Santa Barbara County winery bucket list," 17 Dec. 2020 And the reserve Syrahs command attention, showcasing the appellation’s Goldilocks-like way of bringing both hefty fruit and sharp spice to the variety. — Matt Kettmann, SFChronicle.com, "How a geologist became a winery owner at Larner Vineyard," 23 June 2020 This counter-service operation was a 3rd Avenue pioneer long before the neighborhood landed its trendy North Loop appellation. — Rick Nelson, Star Tribune, "'Unfathomable' loss: Reflecting on Twin Cities restaurants we lost in 2020," 16 Dec. 2020 In 2009, Tom’s son, Peter Stolpman, came onboard full-time and helped create the Ballard Canyon appellation in 2013. — Matt Kettmann, SFChronicle.com, "Stolpman epitomizes the ambition of Santa Barbara wine culture," 23 June 2020 This up-and-coming Bordeaux château in the Margaux appellation produced an intense, sensual wine with velvety tannins in this great vintage. — Elin Mccoy, Bloomberg.com, "The 50 Best Wines Under $50," 7 Dec. 2020 Lovers of the region’s long history, the Sanfords chose the name to reflect the soul of the Rancho Santa Rosa, which was the original Spanish land grant that covers much of today’s appellation. — Matt Kettmann, SFChronicle.com, "Start your wine tasting in the Sta. Rita Hills with Alma Rosa," 25 June 2020 All have that neurotically official-sounding appellation d'origine protégée designation, in which the French take such great pride. — Steve King, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why Travelers Are Heading to France's Jura Region for Wine and Comté," 1 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'appellation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for appellation

Middle English appellacyon, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French appellacion, borrowed from Latin appellātiōn-, appellātiō "name, designation, noun, appeal," from appellāre "to speak to, address, apply to for support, refer to a higher authority, call upon, name, designate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action; in sense 2 borrowed from French, going back to Middle French — more at appeal entry 2

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