cocktail

1 of 3

noun (1)

cock·​tail ˈkäk-ˌtāl How to pronounce cocktail (audio)
1
a
: a usually iced drink of wine or distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients
b
: something resembling or suggesting such a drink as being a mixture of often diverse elements or ingredients
a cocktail of remembered incidents and pure imaginationCharlotte Low
a cocktail of herbicides
c
: a mixture of agents usually in solution that is taken or used especially for medical treatment or diagnosis
2
: an appetizer served as a first course at a meal

cocktail

2 of 3

adjective

1
: of, relating to, or set aside for cocktails
a cocktail hour
2
: designed for semiformal wear
a cocktail dress

cocktail

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a horse with its tail docked

Examples of cocktail in a Sentence

Noun (1) an autopsy found a lethal cocktail of banned substances in the actor's body
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
During the cocktails, the Costume Institute’s curator in charge Andrew Bolton chatted about how the Friends of the Costume Institute has developed, since starting out as a core group of five or so in 2002. Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2025 Cannabis cocktails have changed my life. Chala June, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025 This cocktail of ingredients balances each other out seamlessly, and even shoppers can confirm. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 29 Oct. 2025 Taylor River Lodge’s eight acres provide plenty of space for an immersive experience in nature, while the central building is where large groups can cozy up around the grand stone hearth or have a cocktail at the horseshoe bar. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cocktail

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably from cock entry 1 + tail

Noun (2)

cock entry 1 + tail

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1852, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1781, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cocktail was in 1781

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cocktail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cocktail. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

cocktail

noun
cock·​tail
ˈkäk-ˌtāl
1
: an iced drink of distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients
2
: an appetizer (as tomato juice) served as a first course at a meal

Medical Definition

cocktail

noun
cock·​tail ˈkäk-ˌtāl How to pronounce cocktail (audio)
: a mixture of agents usually in solution that is taken or used especially for medical treatment or diagnosis
a potent cocktail of antiretroviral drugsZia Jaffrey
chemotherapy cocktails to treat cancerJ. L. Swerdlow

More from Merriam-Webster on cocktail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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