whiskey

1 of 2

noun

whis·​key ˈ(h)wi-skē How to pronounce whiskey (audio)
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
Wallace grabbed a bottle of whiskey, vintage 1937, the year Earhart disappeared. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Sliding into a seat to soak in the sights and sounds, guests were treated to special whiskey selections from the series. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 The one and a half hour tour will demonstrate the whiskey distilling process, with tasting of a variety of alcoholic spirits included. Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 7 Mar. 2024 An old fashioned is whiskey cocktail containing sugar, bitters and carbonated water. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2024 Of course, on special events, the ski butlers offer hot whiskey bottles and blankets to make the ride that much more enjoyable. Jim Dobson, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Whiskey is made all over the world—the UK exports the most whiskey by far, but Japanese products have been gaining popularity over the last decade or so—and there are many classes and varieties. Joe Sevier, Bon Appétit, 21 Feb. 2024 There are some key requirements for a whiskey to be called Irish whiskey. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024 Prince William got behind the bar, doing a toast and taking a shot a whiskey with McElhenney and the Turf's owner, Wayne Jones. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whiskey.' 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of whiskey was in 1715

Dictionary Entries Near whiskey

Cite this Entry

“Whiskey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiskey. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

whiskey

noun
whis·​key
variants or whisky
ˈhwis-kē How to pronounce whiskey (audio)
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
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

More from Merriam-Webster on whiskey

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!