Kirschwasser

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of distilled fruit brandy primarily made from cherries, often enjoyed as a digestif after meals
2. A clear, potent alcoholic beverage originating from Germany, characterized by its cherry flavor and aroma
3. A spirit produced by fermenting cherries, noted for its sweet-tart taste and clarity, frequently used in culinary applications and cocktails

Etymology: Kirschwasser is a compound of two German words: "Kirsche" (cherry) and "Wasser" (water). The name is literal, so the drink is simply "cherry water," a clear spirit distilled from cherries, stones and all in many traditional recipes. English borrowed the term directly from German, so it keeps the German spelling with its capital K in the original, though English writing usually lowercases it. Its meaning has stayed remarkably stable: the spirit is still the clear, cherry-scented distillate that the German name describes.