: the sediment of a liquor (such as wine) during fermentation and aging : dregs

Examples of lees in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes that were hand-harvested throughout the summer before aging on the lees for eight months in French oak barrels (30% new), it's loaded with light and sunny flavors. Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes, 10 Feb. 2023 It is aged for three to five years on the lees which results in great complexity and richness on the palate. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 20 Dec. 2022 There are Japanese versions leavened with sake lees and Brazilian ones stuffed with dulce de leche; supermarket minis that cost $2 and truffled ones that fetch nearly $200. Julia Moskin, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2022 The Cava Brut designation means it was aged a minimum of nine months on the lees. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 8 Dec. 2022 See All Example Sentences for lees

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin lia

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lees was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lees.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lees. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

lees

plural noun
: the settlings of liquor (as wine) during fermentation and aging : dregs

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