cognac

noun

co·​gnac ˈkōn-ˌyak How to pronounce cognac (audio)
also ˈkȯn-
or ˈkän-
variants often Cognac
: a brandy from the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime distilled from white wine

Examples of cognac in a Sentence

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Further details included a cream and cognac checkered pouch—also from the brand—and long gold earrings that dangled past her chin. Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 9 Mar. 2026 Effervescence mixed with cognac, spinning serotonin. Kortney Morrow, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2026 Grounding earth tones was a favorite palette of the season, especially in shades of brown, cognac and walnut, punctuated by reds and burgundies. Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026 The outgoing creative directors of Oscar de la Renta—and a guest list including Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Jamie Chung, Sai De Silva, and more—toasted to new beginnings over cognac and a traditional feast Kim prepared herself. Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 12 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cognac

Word History

Etymology

French, from Cognac, France

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cognac was in 1751

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Cite this Entry

“Cognac.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cognac. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

cognac

noun
co·​gnac ˈkōn-ˌyak How to pronounce cognac (audio)
often capitalized
: a French brandy
Etymology

named for Cognac, town in France in and near which it is made

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