cocktail

1 of 3

noun (1)

cock·​tail ˈkäk-ˌtāl How to pronounce cocktail (audio)
1
a
: a usually iced drink of wine or distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients
b
: something resembling or suggesting such a drink as being a mixture of often diverse elements or ingredients
a cocktail of remembered incidents and pure imaginationCharlotte Low
a cocktail of herbicides
c
: a mixture of agents usually in solution that is taken or used especially for medical treatment or diagnosis
2
: an appetizer served as a first course at a meal

cocktail

2 of 3

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or set aside for cocktails
a cocktail hour
2
: designed for semiformal wear
a cocktail dress

cocktail

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a horse with its tail docked

Examples of cocktail in a Sentence

Noun (1) an autopsy found a lethal cocktail of banned substances in the actor's body
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
On Thursday, Vivienne Sabo will host a consumer-facing event during the day, as well as cocktails in the evening, while Maison Perrier will be on-site throughout the week. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025 Zero Proof package includes zero-proof cocktails, alcohol-free sparkling wine and beer, sodas, juices, still and sparkling bottled water, specialty coffees, milkshakes and more. Nathan Diller, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025 Recent menus have leaned into storytelling, with cocktails arriving under glass cloches or designed around surrealist motifs—drinks that edge towards performance over mere refreshment. Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 Weaver shares his go-to honey tips, tricks and cocktail recipes. Brittany Anas, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cocktail

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably from cock entry 1 + tail

Noun (2)

cock entry 1 + tail

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1852, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1781, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cocktail was in 1781

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cocktail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cocktail. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

cocktail

noun
cock·​tail
ˈkäk-ˌtāl
1
: an iced drink of distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients
2
: an appetizer (as tomato juice) served as a first course at a meal

Medical Definition

cocktail

noun
cock·​tail ˈkäk-ˌtāl How to pronounce cocktail (audio)
: a mixture of agents usually in solution that is taken or used especially for medical treatment or diagnosis
a potent cocktail of antiretroviral drugsZia Jaffrey
chemotherapy cocktails to treat cancerJ. L. Swerdlow

More from Merriam-Webster on cocktail

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