Whiskey - Etymology, Origin & Meaning (original) (raw)
Origin and history of whiskey
"distilled spirit made by the Celtic people of the British Isles," 1715, whiskie, from Gaelic uisge beatha "whisky," literally "water of life," from Old Irish uisce "water" (according to Watkins from suffixed form of PIE root *wed- (1) "water; wet") + bethu "life" (from suffixed form of PIE root *gwei- "to live").
According to Barnhart, the Gaelic is probably a loan-translation of Medieval Latin [aqua vitae](/word/aqua vitae "Etymology, meaning and definition of aqua vitae "), which had been applied to intoxicating drinks since early 14c. (compare French eau de vie "brandy").
Other early spellings in English include usquebea (1706), usquebaugh, and iskie bae (1580s). In Ireland and Scotland obtained from barley malt; in the U.S. commonly made from corn or rye. Spelling distinction of Scotch whisky and Irish and American whiskey is a 19c. innovation. Whisky sour is recorded from 1889. Colloquial whiskified "intoxicated" is by 1802.
Entries linking to whiskey
also aqua-vitae, early 15c., Latin, literally "water of life," an alchemical term for unrefined alcohol. It was applied to brandy, whiskey, etc. from 1540s. For the elements, see aqua- + vital; also see aqua. Compare whiskey, also French eau-de-vie "spirits, brandy," literally "water of life."
More to explore
[c. 1200, likur "any matter in a liquid state, a liquid or fluid substance," from Old French licor "fluid, liquid; sap; oil" (12c., Modern French liqueur), from Latin liquorem (nominative liquor) "a liquid, liquor; wine; the sea," originally "liquidity, fluidity," from liquere "be](/word/liquor "c. 1200, likur "any matter in a liquid state, a liquid or fluid substance," from Old French licor "fluid, liquid; sap; oil" (12c., Modern French liqueur), from Latin liquorem (nominative liquor) "a liquid, liquor; wine; the sea," originally "liquidity, fluidity," from liquere "be")