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
In the mood for some swashbuckling action without sipping from a bottle of rum? Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 14 Sep. 2023 Developing the bar program at Glady’s Caribbean in Brooklyn, Mustipher tasted more than 200 rums. M. Carrie Allan, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2023 Just last year, the company released Eggo Nog — a holiday eggnog liqueur with flavors of cream, rum, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Elena Giardina, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Aug. 2023 What to expect: More than 50 rums to sample, plus cocktails, food trucks, music and charity auction. Mary Colurso | McOlurso@al.com, al, 12 Aug. 2023 Popular food items include the butter burger and Philly cheesesteak, while 32-ounce rum buckets and bloody Mary's dominate the drink menu. Marina Johnson, Detroit Free Press, 11 Aug. 2023 The Imperial Garden is made with Ki No Bi Go green tea gin and Saint Germain, while the Pretty Bird combines Kiyomi Japanese rum, coconut water, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, and lime. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2023 Bacardi also dreamed up two additional drinks for the big night: the BACARDÍ 808, a blend of rum, banana liqueur and angostura bitters garnished with orange; and the Mango Fuego, which includes mango chile rum and grapefruit juice, topped with tajin and lime. Mackenzie Schmidt, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2023 Can be substituted with a splash of bourbon or rum. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2023
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 See More

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 25 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

rum

noun
ˈrəm
: an alcoholic liquor made from molasses or sugarcane

More from Merriam-Webster on rum

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!