liquor

American  

[lik-er, lik-wawr] / ˈlɪk ər, ˈlɪk wɔr /

noun

1. a distilled or spirituous beverage, as brandy or whiskey, as distinguished from a fermented beverage, as wine or beer.

2. any liquid substance, as broth from cooked meats or vegetables.

   Synonyms:

   juice

3. Pharmacology. solution.

4. a solution of a substance, especially a concentrated one used in the industrial arts.

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verb (used with object)

1. Informal. to furnish or ply with liquor to drink (often followed byup ).

verb (used without object)

1. Informal. to drink large quantities of liquor (often followed byup ).

liquor British  

/ ˈlɪkə /

noun

1. any alcoholic drink, esp spirits, or such drinks collectively

2. any liquid substance, esp that in which food has been cooked

3. pharmacol a solution of a pure substance in water

4. brewing warm water added to malt to form wort

5. drunk; intoxicated

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verb

1. brewing to steep (malt) in warm water to form wort; mash

Other Word Forms

• antiliquor adjective
• liquory adjective

Etymology

Origin of liquor

1175–1225; < Latin: a liquid, originally liquidity ( liqu ( ēre ) to be liquid + -or -or ¹ ); replacing Middle English lic ( o ) ur < Old French ( French liqueur ) < Latin liquōrem, accusative of liquor

Example Sentences

In my loft, everything catches her eye: books, art, pictures, CDs, liquor cabinet, furniture, the colors of the walls.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

The company also struggled selling the Chinese liquor baiju, with sales in the country collapsing by 42.3%, which offset what the company said was a strong performance in Europe, Latin America and Caribbean and Africa.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

In the 1970s, actor Billy Dee Williams was the iconic face of Colt 45 malt liquor.

From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026

Help came when some of his friends met Hari Khoday, the late liquor baron who was building a temple in Pandavapura.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

She keeps an honest, one price house, sells no hard liquor, and permits no loud or vulgar talk in her house.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• alcohol
• booze
• whiskey