Amari

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A Japanese term often used as an adverb meaning "excessively" or "too much"; can also refer to a surname or be part of geographical names
2. A word from Japanese indicating an amount beyond what is normal or desired; it serves as a family name and appears in place names in Japan
3. A descriptor in Japanese for quantities that surpass limits or norms, functioning as an adverb, as well as a proper noun in personal and location contexts within Japan

Etymology: "Amari" is the plural of "amaro", the Italian word for a bitter herbal liqueur, and the plural is what English speakers borrowed when they wanted to talk about several of them. Italian "amaro" itself simply means "bitter", so the drinks are named for their taste: a bitter digestif, often sipped after a meal, flavoured with herbs, roots, or citrus peel. The plural form is the more telling detail. Italian bars and shops have long stocked a whole row of these bottles, and English borrowed the plural to refer to that collection as a category rather than to any single drink. The word therefore carries the flavour of the drinks themselves, with the bitterness written into its meaning.