abv.

¹ American

abbreviation

above.

ABV ² American

Or abv

abbreviation

alcohol by volume: the amount of alcohol in a drink, expressed as a percentage of the total volume.

A 12-ounce can of beer with 5% ABV contains 0.6 ounces pure alcohol.

ABV British

abbreviation

alcohol by volume: the number of ml of ethyl alcohol present in each 100 ml of an alcoholic beverage when measured at 20°C; displayed on the packaging of alcoholic drinks in EU countries and used to calculate the amount of tax payable

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ABV

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

ABV

“The whole reason we have no ABV and low ABV cocktails is because of the younger generation,” Simonson says.

From Salon ● Nov. 30, 2025

Now, the government has confirmed it intends to lower the minimum ABV to 0% for all types of wine, following a consultation on the plans.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2023

The 280 Project, located at Alemany Farm in San Francisco, is considered by many to be the heart of the ABV movement.

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2022

Through brewing Dolores Huerta, Fierro has started converting local hop heads and ABV chasers into Mexican lager drinkers, and she hopes that common ground leads to more inclusivity and diversity in the industry.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 9, 2022

Air at main reservoir pressure flows through the automatic brake valve to the connection marked "ABV" to chamber "d" under the diaphragm.

From The Traveling Engineers' Association To Improve The Locomotive Engine Service of American Railroads by Anonymous

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023