lager

¹ American  

[lah-ger, law-] / ˈlɑ gər, ˈlɔ- /

noun

1. Also called lager beer.  a beer stored from six weeks to six months for aging before use.

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verb (used with object)

1. to age (beer) usually by storing in tanks at just-below freezing temperatures for several weeks or months.

lager ² American  

[lah-ger] / ˈlɑ gər /

noun

South African.

1. laager.

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lager ¹ British  

/ ˈlɑːɡə /

noun

1. a light-bodied effervescent beer, fermented in a closed vessel using yeasts that sink to the bottom of the brew Compare ale

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lager ² British  

/ ˈlɑːɡə /

noun

1. a variant spelling of laager

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Etymology

Origin of lager

1835–45; short for lager beer, half adoption, half translation of German Lagerbier. See lair ¹, beer

Explanation

Lager is a common type of beer. When someone in a movie bellies up to a bar and orders a well-known brand of beer, it's usually a lager. Brewers distinguish lagers from other beers by the yeast used to ferment it, as well as its light color and what's often described as the "crisp" taste of a lager. This type of beer was first invented in 15th-century Bavaria. The name lager comes from lager beer and its German source, Lagerbier, or "beer brewed for keeping," a reference to the practice of storing lager in cold places while it matures.

Example Sentences

When Wrexham secured their third successive promotion to the Championship Dieter offered his customers free Wrexham Lager.

From BBC • May 15, 2025

He became involved in such products as Landshark Lager, the Margaritaville and Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chains, boat shoes, salsa, hummus, tortillas, dips, tequila and blenders.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 2, 2023

Lager joked as the targeted opening date loomed.

From Washington Post • Dec. 23, 2022

“Nothing too precious,” says Lager of the timeless setting, the center of which is dominated by an antique French table arranged with silverware, plates and other service items.

From Washington Post • Dec. 23, 2022

Eine hohe Frauengestalt wandelte allein durch die Reihen, nachdem Sie im ganzen Lager gesucht und nach Tannas gefragt.

From Aus meinem Königreich by Sylva, Carmen

Related Words

• ale