beverage

American  

[bev-er-ij, bev-rij] / ˈbɛv ər ɪdʒ, ˈbɛv rɪdʒ /

noun

1. any potable liquid, especially one other than water, as tea, coffee, beer, or milk.

   The price of the meal includes a beverage.

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beverage British  

/ ˈbɛvərɪdʒ, ˈbɛvrɪdʒ /

noun

1. any drink, usually other than water

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Etymology

Origin of beverage

1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French beverage, bevarage, equivalent to be ( i ) vre to drink + -age -age

Explanation

A beverage is any type of drink. It's something you might offer a guest in your house; it's also the favorite moniker of companies that manufacture both soda and juice — they call themselves beverage companies. One of the most popular beverages in history is Coca-Cola, developed in 1886. Initially, Coke was called a brain tonic for intellectuals. Ingredients of the original recipe included coca leaves and cola nuts, and until 1909 contained small amounts of cocaine. Today, the Coca Cola company markets hundreds of beverages including soft drinks, juices, and sports drinks.

Example Sentences

For investors, the key question is whether some of China’s listed restaurant and beverage giants are masking franchisee stress beneath aggressive expansion.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

If the atmosphere of the world could be depicted by an Erewhon beverage, it wouldn’t be a vibrant, cheerful one, like the bright magenta Pitaya Smoothie.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026

Here’s what she shared about what it took to build the beverage company Poppi, in her own words.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Capitalists figure out how to thrive under Trump, Gamestop makes a bid for Ebay, and McDonalds jumps on the fancy beverage trend.

From Slate • May 9, 2026

He wished Tartarus had better beverage options, or maybe a tree that dispensed antacid fruit.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• drink
• liquor