Vodka

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈvɒdkə/

Definitions

1. A clear distilled alcoholic beverage typically made from grain or potatoes, originating from Eastern Europe and usually consumed as a spirit
2. A clear, distilled spirit made primarily from grains or potatoes that originated in Eastern Europe and is often enjoyed in cocktails or shots
3. A strong alcoholic drink that is typically clear and distilled from grains or tubers, commonly consumed straight or in mixed drinks

Etymology: Russian "vodka" is a diminutive of "voda," meaning "water," so the name of one of the world's best-known spirits literally means "little water." The "-ka" ending is a diminutive suffix, and the same root turns up in "voda" itself, which traces back through Proto-Slavic to a Proto-Indo-European ancestor shared with Sanskrit "udaka" and Ancient Greek "hudōr," the source of English "hydro-" and "water." The earlier Russian name for the drink was "khlebnoye vino," or "grain wine," which describes what it was made from. The shift to "vodka" is usually explained by the historian V. Pokhlyobkin, who argued that the name arose from phrases about diluting the pure distilled spirit, such as "vodka of grain wine," until the shortened form stuck.

Synonyms: liquor, spirits