whiskey

1 of 2

noun

whis·​key ˈ(h)wi-skē 

variants or whisky

plural whiskeys or whiskies

1

: a liquor distilled from fermented wort (such as that obtained from rye, corn, or barley mash)

2

: a drink of whiskey

Whiskey

2 of 2

communications code word

—used as a code word for the letter w

Examples of whiskey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Americans can brew beer in their kitchens and make wine at home, but just try making a bottle of whiskey or gin — and people can run afoul of a federal law that dates back more than 150 years. — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026

These zero-proof spirits are all about the same price of a bottle of mid-tier whiskey or gin. — Esther Tseng, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026

Remus Repeal Reserve Rye Whiskey is made from the distillery’s classic 95 percent rye grain mashbill, and is a blend of whiskey distilled in 2015 and 2016 that was bottled at 111 proof. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026

And Stapleton, for his part, sang it smoother than Tennessee whiskey and sweeter than strawberry wine. — Adam Gold, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Irish uisce beatha & Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha, literally, water of life

First Known Use

Noun

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Communications Code Word

1952, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing whiskey

• blended whiskey
• corn whiskey
• Irish whiskey
• malt whiskey
• rye whiskey
• whiskey sour

Rhymes for whiskey

• frisky
• risky
• whisky

Kids Definition

whiskey

noun

whis·​key

variants or whisky

ˈhwis-kē 

ˈwis-

plural whiskeys or whiskies

: an alcoholic liquor made from grain (as rye, corn, or barley)

Etymology

Noun

from uisce beatha, a phrase in Irish (the ancient language of Ireland) and isuge beatha, a phrase in Scottish Gaelic (the ancient language of Scotland), both meaning literally "water of life"

Medical Definition

whiskey

noun

whis·​key

variants or whisky

ˈhwis-kē, ˈwis- 

plural whiskeys or whiskies

: a liquor that is distilled from the fermented mash of grain (as rye, corn, or barley) and was formerly used medicinally as a sedative and vasodilator