Added 9 October 2026
whiskey
/ˈwɪski/ noun
Latin root: aqua Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about whiskey at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
Origin
Variant of usque, abbreviation of usquebaugh, from Irish uisce beatha, calque of Medieval Latin aqua vītae (“water of life”). Compare akvavit, aquavit, aqua vitae, eau de vie, and water of life from the same source and vodka from a Russian diminutive for water in reference to the dilution of pure grain spirits.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)