champagne

¹ American  

[sham-peyn] / ʃæmˈpeɪn /

noun

1. (initial capital letter) the sparkling, dry, white table wine from the region of Champagne in France.

2. a similar sparkling wine produced elsewhere.

3. (formerly) the nonsparkling, dry, white table wine produced in the region of Champagne in France.

4. a very pale yellow or greenish-yellow color.

5. anything considered the best or luxurious.

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adjective

1. having the color of champagne.

2. luxurious or expensive.

   champagne tastes.

Champagne ² American  

[sham-peyn, shahn-pan-y^uh] / ʃæmˈpeɪn, ʃɑ̃ˈpan yə /

noun

1. a region and former province in NE France.

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champagne British  

/ ʃæmˈpeɪn /

noun

1. (sometimes capital) a white sparkling wine produced around Reims and Epernay, France

2. (loosely) any effervescent white wine

3. 1. a colour varying from a pale orange-yellow to a greyish-yellow

   2. ( as adjective )

      a champagne carpet

4. (modifier) denoting a luxurious lifestyle

   a champagne capitalist

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Etymology

Origin of champagne

First recorded in 1655–65; after Champagne

Explanation

Champagne is a bubbly white wine that people often drink to celebrate happy occasions. When you pull the cork out of a bottle of champagne, it makes a loud pop. Traditionally, the sparkling wine known as champagne came from a specific region of France and was made from certain grapes grown there. Some people now call any sparkling wine champagne, but most champagnes are made following certain rules and traditions. A champagne glass is called a flute, and it's tall and narrow with a long stem. The word champagne is short for vin de Champagne, "wine made in Champagne."

Example Sentences

Prosecutors believe the fire started when champagne bottles with sparklers attached were raised too close to the ceiling in the bar's basement level, igniting the sound insulation foam.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

But read the fine print before you pop the champagne.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

Since 21, even when he was broke, he has celebrated every birthday with champagne and oysters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

When Farahanipour heard about Khamenei’s death, he popped the cork from a champagne bottle and celebrated “the happiest moment of my life.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026

“Looks like it worked,” I said, coming across a picture of her drinking straight from a champagne bottle, my grandpa Wynton in the corner of the frame, laughing a big laugh.

From "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" by emily m. danforth

Related Words

• bubbly
• wine