WHISKY Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com (original) (raw)

[hwis-kee, wis-] / ˈʰwɪs ki, ˈwɪs- /

noun

whiskey (used especially for Scotch or Canadian whiskey).

whisky British

/ ˈwɪskɪ /

noun

a spirit made by distilling fermented cereals, which is matured and often blended

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of whisky

C18: shortened from whiskybae, from Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha, literally: water of life; see usquebaugh

Vocabulary lists containing whisky

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Welcoming the deal, he said that he had made it his "mission to do everything possible to lift US tariffs on our whisky" and that the "hard work has paid off".

FromBBC • May 1, 2026

Economically, whisky is a major export for Scotland and the wider UK.

FromBBC • May 1, 2026

The Scotch Whisky Association says that the U.K. exported about $1.3 billion worth of whisky to the U.S. in 2025.

FromThe Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

In his post, Trump said he was "removing the tariffs and restrictions" on whisky but added that it related to Scotland's trade with the bourbon-making state of Kentucky, particularly on wooden barrels.

FromBarron's • Apr. 30, 2026

Most ordinary whisky drinkers are “brand” chumps like this.

From"The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023