sake

1 of 2

noun (1)

1
: end, purpose
for the sake of argument
2
a
: the good, advantage, or enhancement of some entity (such as an ideal)
free to pursue learning for its own sakeM. S. Eisenhower
b
: personal or social welfare, safety, or benefit

sake

2 of 2

noun (2)

sa·​ke ˈsä-kē How to pronounce sake (audio)
variants or saki
: a Japanese alcoholic beverage of fermented rice often served hot

Examples of sake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
While Tokyo isn’t known as a sake production area, breweries Toshimaya and Ozawa operate in the western suburbs and offer tours and tastings with reservations. Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2025 For the sake of her teams, the leaders around her, and for the sake of future leaders, like her one-year-old daughter, Espie. Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 4 July 2025 There’s 15 or so natural-leaning wines by the glass each night, lowballs made with local amari and citrus, sake and soda combinations, and a tight draft beer selection. Jordan Michelman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 July 2025 For the sake of geographic diversity, each city could have a maximum of three businesses on the list. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for sake

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, dispute, guilt, purpose, from Old English sacu guilt, action at law; akin to Old High German sahha action at law, cause, Old English sēcan to seek — more at seek

Noun (2)

Japanese sake

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1682, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sake was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sake. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

sake

1 of 2 noun
1
: goal sense 2, purpose
for the sake of argument
2
: the good of something : advantage
the sake of our country

sake

2 of 2 noun
sa·​ke
variants or saki
: a Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice
Etymology

Noun

Old English sacu "guilt, legal action"

Noun

Japanese

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