Aguardiente

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A strong alcoholic drink typically derived from sugarcane or fruit, frequently enjoyed alone or incorporated in cocktails
2. An intense spirit originating from Latin America, mainly crafted from fermented fruits or sugarcane, often savored neat or in mixed beverages
3. A potent alcoholic beverage that hails from Latin America, primarily made from fermented sugarcane or fruit, usually consumed neat or in cocktails

Etymology: Spanish "aguardiente" is a blend of two words that were once a plain description: "agua," meaning water, and "ardiente," meaning burning or fiery. Put together, they named a spirit that seemed to be water that could set you alight. The Spanish compound was then borrowed directly into English, keeping its sense of a liquor strong enough to burn going down. The Latin roots run deep. "Agua" descends from Latin "aqua," which traces back to an ancient Indo-European root for water, while "ardiente" comes from Latin "ardentem," the present participle of "ardere," to burn. The Spanish word has been used for distilled spirits across Spain and its former colonies, and it is the name given to a range of local liquors across Latin America, where many are made from sugarcane or fermented fruit. The English borrowing keeps the Spanish form almost unchanged, so the word's meaning has stayed fixed: it still names a potent, fiery spirit, and the literal image of "fiery water" remains visible in its two parts.

Synonyms: firewater, spirits, distilled liquor, aguardiente spirit, strong drink