rum

1 of 2

noun

1
: an alcoholic beverage distilled from a fermented cane product (such as molasses)
2
: alcoholic liquor
the demon rum

rum

2 of 2

adjective

rummer; rummest
1
British, informal + somewhat old-fashioned : strange, odd
Now writing is rum trade and eyes are rum things, and what is all right one day is all wrong the next.Angela Thirkell
2
British, informal + somewhat old-fashioned : difficult, dangerous

Examples of rum in a Sentence

Noun a fiery sermon on the evils of demon rum Adjective They're a pretty rum lot. she wears staid business suits, but prefers some quite rum knickers underneath
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Fried chicken wings are drenched in a sweet-spicy, caramelized fish sauce glaze and cocktails wink at the tropics of Vietnam with spirits made from sugar cane and agave, like rums and tequilas, blended with tropical fruits, such as hibiscus, pineapple and tamarind. Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024 Fight Club, near Eastern Market, is also hosting bingo during the speech, with a bottle of rum or mezcal for the winner, and gift cards for the runners-up. Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 Be your own mixologist for this green St. Patrick's Day drink by choosing your favorite flavor of rum, then pick between fresh mint or basil leaves for garnish. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2024 Specialty drinks from Ridgeview English sparkling wine, Hampton Court handcrafted gin and rum and Nc’nean whiskey. Marc Malkin, Variety, 4 Mar. 2024 The cocktail is a combination of Cruzan rum with strawberry and lime juice; just open the bottle and pour over ice. Jillian Dara, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Get The Recipe 10 of 23 Rum Buttercream Like bourbon, a smidge (or more) of rum has the potential to elevate dessert by leaps and bounds. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2024 The Fade Away cocktail, made with Bacardi rum, pineapple juice, blue curacao, fresh lemon juice and Hennessey floater, is at the stadium clubs and Touchdown Taverns. The Indianapolis Star, 16 Feb. 2024 Tastings are featured on Friday and Saturday night, including Ten to One Caribbean rum (8 p.m. Friday); Vusa Vodka, distilled from African sugar cane; and Bayab African Gin (both 10 p.m. Saturday). Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The whiskey was distilled in 1989 and matured in ex-rum casks before being finished for three years in barrels that previously contained Pedro Ximénez (PX) Sherry. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 9 Apr. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably short for obsolete rumbullion rum

Adjective

of uncertain origin

First Known Use

Noun

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1752, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rum was in 1654

Dictionary Entries Near rum

Cite this Entry

“Rum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rum. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rum

noun
ˈrəm
: an alcoholic liquor made from molasses or sugarcane

More from Merriam-Webster on rum

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