vermouth

noun ver·mouth \ vər-ˈmüth \

|Updated on: 6 Jul 2018

Definition of vermouth

: a dry or sweet aperitif wine flavored with aromatic herbs and often used in mixed drinks

See vermouth defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of vermouth from the Web

Cocktails at SheWolf focus on low-ABV spritzes ($10-$13), an uncommonly wide selection of vermouth ($8) and a handful of more spirit-forward cocktails ($10-$14).

— mark kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, "SheWolf is Michigan's only restaurant milling its own flour," 27 June 2018
Boodles gin is tempered by a touch of vermouth, a drop of orange bitters, and a faint mist of lemon.

— stan parish, WSJ, "‘Go Beyond Sushi’: Tokyo’s Culinary Gems," 19 June 2018
Add the vermouth or white wine to any juices left in the bowl that held the chicken thighs, combine well and pour over chicken.

— jan uebelherr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Taxes filed? Celebrate (or commiserate) with a party," 14 Apr. 2018
Visitors to Dante know to expect vermouth with a tantalizing accompaniment of Perrier and frozen grapes.

— jeff gordinier, Esquire, "Mocktails Make Going Dry-ish a Hell of a Lot More Enjoyable," 8 Jan. 2018
Jeff Park’s Corpse Reviver was, as the name promised, a ridiculously potent blend of cognac, Calvados, and vermouth, served in a Martini glass.

— gary shteyngart, The New Yorker, "The Luck of Kokura," 18 June 2018
Try not to be intimidated by the obscure cocktail ingredients, like black sudachi (a type of lime) or Berto (an Italian vermouth).

— sarah fritsche, SFChronicle.com, "Best new restaurants and bars to visit in the Mission right now," 17 June 2018
One of Bourdain’s favorite cocktails was the Negroni (equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth and gin).

— jenn harris, latimes.com, "From In-N-Out to Chateau Marmont, Anthony Bourdain understood what makes L.A. great," 8 June 2018
That drink is made with sweet vermouth, Campari, and orange sherbet, then topped with sparkling wine and garnished with an orange twist, said Jefferson Oatts, beverage manager for the Schulson Collective restaurant group.

— allison steele, Philly.com, "Cocktails for all-day (and all-night) drinking sessions," 23 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vermouth.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of vermouth

borrowed from French vermout, vermouth & Italian vermut, vermutte, both borrowed from German Wermut, short for Wermutwein, from Wermut "wormwood" (going back to Old High German wermuota, werimuota) + Wein ¹wine — more at wormwood

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1806

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year