Ouzos

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A popular alcoholic drink originating from Greece, which is renowned for its strong anise flavor and is typically served ice-cold alongside snacks or meals
2. A traditional Greek spirit with a distinctive taste of anise, usually enjoyed in social gatherings and often complements various appetizers
3. A distilled alcoholic drink from Greece flavored primarily with anise and often consumed chilled as part of social dining

Etymology: "Ouzos" is simply the plural of "ouzo", so the story belongs to the singular. The name of the Greek anise spirit is contested. One account traces it to Turkish "üzüm", meaning "grape", while another links it to a stamp used on silkworm cocoons exported from Tyrnavos in the 19th century. That stamp read "uso in Marsiglia", Italian for "for use in Marseille", and the cocoons it marked were of superior quality, so the Greek "oúzo" may have come from the abbreviated word "uso". A third theory points to ancient Greek "ózō", "to smell", and "osmḗ", "smell", which would suit a drink with such a strong aroma. The sources do not settle the matter, so the origin of the name remains uncertain.