apéritif

[ ah-per-i-teef, uh-per-; French a-pey-ree-teef ]
/ ɑˌpɛr ɪˈtif, əˌpɛr-; French a peɪ riˈtif /

noun, plural a·pé·ri·tifs [ah-per-i-teefs; French a-pey-ree-teef]. /ɑˌpɛr ɪˈtifs; French a peɪ riˈtif/.

a small drink of alcoholic liquor taken to stimulate the appetite before a meal.
Also called apéritif wine . a wine served as an appetizer or cocktail.

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Origin of apéritif

1890–95; <French (vin) apéritif;see aperitive

Words nearby apéritif

Apepi, aperçu, aperient, aperiodic, aperistalsis, apéritif, aperitive, Apert-Crouzon syndrome, apertognathia, apertometer, Apert's syndrome
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for apéritif

  • A French cafe was installed there, and two or three soldiers were taking their aperitif before dinner out in the air.

    The Garden Of Allah|Robert Hichens

  • The man will bring you an aperitif while I escape from this accursed frock coat.

    Ewing\'s Lady|Harry Leon Wilson

British Dictionary definitions for apéritif

apéritif
/ (ɑːˌpɛrɪˈtiːf, əˌpɛr-) /

noun

an alcoholic drink, esp a wine, drunk before a meal to whet the appetite

Word Origin for apéritif

C19: from French, from Medieval Latin aperitīvus, from Latin aperīre to open
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