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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Think musky candles, dim lighting, lo-fi jazz and smooth whiskey with a big cube. Kelly Rook Daly, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025 Verdict Overturned, June 8, 2023 The U.S. Supreme Court issued a major ruling that found the First Amendment didn’t necessarily protect a dog toy company that created a humorous chew toy that looked like a bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 10 July 2025 For all the barrels of gold-medal bourbon and whiskey rolling out of Detroit City Distillery, its latest expansion was largely made possible by a seasonal vodka built around raspberry paczki. Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 9 July 2025 According to food history lore, the concept actually started as oyster cocktail in the 1860s, when a California gold miner visited a San Francisco bar for a glass of whiskey and spread of oysters. Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for whiskey

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

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Cite this Entry

“Whiskey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiskey. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

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

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