whiskey English · revision 39822

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing, clipping|attested=1715, whiskie|origins=sga uisce, sga bethu}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈwɪski/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a shortening of the earlier [[m|en|whiskybae]], a variant of [[usquebaugh]],^(AHD 2024)^(Hoad 1986)^(ODE 2010)^(Dictionary.com 2016) [[bor|gd|uisge beatha]] and [[m|ga|uisce beathadh]], literally "water of life".^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)^(MW Word Histories)^(Barnhart 1995) The Gaelic phrase is formed from [[sga|uisce|t=water]] and [[m|sga|bethu|t=life]],^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) in the genitive.^(MWU 2024) Etymonline, following Watkins, takes the first word from the root of [[water]], and the second from the root of [[quick]] and [[vital]];^(Etymonline)^(Ayto 2005) Merriam-Webster compares [[grc|ὕδωρ|tr=hýdōr|t=water]] and [[m|grc|βίος|tr=bíos|t=life]].^(MWU 2024) Barnhart thinks the Gaelic phrase is probably a loan translation of [[la-med|aqua vitae]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) which was used in English for alcoholic spirits in the 16th century.^(MW Word Histories) Weekley noted that [[brandy]], [[gin]] and [[rum]], like this word, are all clipped forms.^(Weekley 1921)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A distilled spirit made in Scotland and Ireland: 1715, spelled ''whiskie'';^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) the spelling ''whisky'' is recorded from 1746 and ''whiskey'' from 1753.^(Barnhart 1995) Earlier forms in English include ''iskie bae'' (1583), ''usquebaugh'' (1703), ''usquebea'' (1706) and Scottish ''usky'' (about 1730).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was first used of the spirit of the Gaelic-speaking parts of Scotland and Ireland,^(Etymonline) which was made from malted barley there, while in the United States it is chiefly distilled from maize or rye.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) The distinction between Scotch ''whisky'' and Irish and American ''whiskey'' dates only from the 19th century.^(Etymonline)^(Ayto 2005) The ''whisky sour'' is recorded from 1889, and the colloquial ''whiskified'', drunk, by 1802.^(Etymonline) In Scottish dialect the word formed many compounds, such as ''whisky-fair'', a drinking bout, and ''whisky-wife'', a woman who sold whisky.^(Wright 1898) American and British slang used ''whiskey-head'' for a heavy drinker from the 1930s.^(GDoS) Since 1952 ''Whiskey'' has also been the communications code word for the letter W.^(MWU 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1583 – ''iskie bae''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1703 – ''usquebaugh''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1715 – ''whiskie'', the spirit.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1746 – the spelling ''whisky''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1753 – the spelling ''whiskey''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1802 – ''whiskified'', drunk.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1889 – ''whisky sour''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1952 – ''Whiskey'', code word for W.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[spirit]] [[distil|alt=distilled]] from a [[ferment|alt=fermented]] mash of [[grain]] such as barley, rye or maize.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024) Irish and American kinds are usually spelled ''whiskey'', Scotch ''whisky''.^(Collins 2023)^(Etymonline)

+ # A glass or drink of this spirit: ''He ordered a whiskey with a splash of soda.''^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''Whiskey'': a code word for the letter W in radio communication.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[corn whiskey]]

+ * [[Irish whiskey]]

+ * [[malt whiskey]]

+ * [[whiskey sour]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[usquebaugh]]

+ * [[aquavit]]

+ * [[bourbon]]

+ * [[brandy]]

+ * [[water]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Whiskey'' or ''whisky'' was also the name of a light two-wheeled one-horse carriage, a kind of gig, recorded from the mid-18th century;^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986) it was formed on [[whisk]] with the suffix ''-y'', from its swift movement.^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) Merriam-Webster's ''Book of Word Histories'' notes that ''whiskey'' is one of the commonest English words taken from the Celtic languages.^(MW Word Histories)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}