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

Friday, October 16th brings Steak & Whiskey with Bryan and Michael Voltaggio stepping into hosting duties for an evening of premium cuts and whiskey. — Amber Love Bond, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Alice slowly gets Marshall to lie on the floor, grabs the bottle of whiskey, and pours it into his mouth with glee. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026

Additional spaces in this area of the home include a whiskey room and a tea room. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 10 Aug. 2026

Hampton drank three Shiner bottled beers and two shots of whiskey at a Grand Prairie pool hall and smoked marijuana at his manager’s house in the hours before the collision, Hampton told a police officer near the scene. — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Aug. 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