martini English · revision 1261

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɑːˈtiːni/ ''(UK)''; /mɑɹˈtini/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Of uncertain origin.^(AHD)^(RHWU) Merriam-Webster takes it as probably an alteration of ''Martinez'', the name of an earlier, related cocktail;^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) Barnhart derives it from the name of the Italian vermouth firm Martini and Rossi,^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989) and Random House allows both explanations.^(RHWU) Etymonline notes that the ''Martinez'' cocktail is documented by 1884, and that the claim that it was named after Martinez, California, appears only much later.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A cocktail of gin and vermouth (1894 in the OED, Barnhart and Merriam-Webster);^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) Etymonline has ''Martini cocktail'' from 1886 and ''martini'' from 1887.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The original drink combined Old Tom gin, vermouth, bitters and sometimes other ingredients;^(Etymonline) the ''dry martini'' is recorded by 1897.^(Etymonline) The word was usually capitalized as a proper name until the 1970s.^(Etymonline) Later it was extended to versions made with vodka,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) and to many sweet cocktails served in a cocktail glass.^(Wiktionary) An unrelated ''Martini'' (1870) was a British army rifle named after its inventor.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1870 – the Martini-Henry rifle.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1884 – the ''Martinez'' cocktail.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1886 – ''Martini cocktail''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1894 – the cocktail; also a brand of vermouth.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1897 – ''dry martini''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[cocktail]] made of [[gin]] or [[vodka]] and dry [[vermouth]], usually served with an olive or a twist of lemon peel.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Any of various cocktails, often sweet or fruity, served in a cocktail glass.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vermouth]]

+ * [[cocktail]]

+ * [[manhattan]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}