noun / adjective
cocktail
KAHK-tayl/ˈkɑːkteɪl/
A drink prepared by mixing ingredients, usually alcoholic.
Ice and an orange twist garnish the amber cocktail in the low glass.
Etymology
The drink’s name was obscure even to contemporaries. One theory connects it with a horse of mixed pedigree, transferring the idea of mixture to a drink, but this remains conjectural.
In context
Cold. It is an up cocktail. There's no ice sitting in the glass. This should not be shaken.
More examples
- We order two cocktails before dinner.
- This alcohol-free cocktail combines pineapple juice, lime, and sparkling water.
- She pours the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass.
Forms
cocktail · cocktails
Similar words
- mixed drink
- A close synonym that usually implies an alcoholic beverage.
- drink
- A broader term covering any beverage, mixed or unmixed.