brandy

American  

[bran-dee] / ˈbræn di /

noun

brandies plural

1. a spirit distilled from wine or from the fermented juice of grapes or of apples, peaches, plums, etc.

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verb (used with object)

brandied, brandying

1. to mix, flavor, or preserve with brandy.

brandy British  

/ ˈbrændɪ /

noun

1. an alcoholic drink consisting of spirit distilled from grape wine

2. a distillation of wines made from other fruits

   plum brandy

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• brandies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of brandy

1615–25; short for brandywine < Dutch brandewijn burnt (i.e., distilled) wine

Compare meaning

How does brandy compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• brandy vs. cognac

Example Sentences

Brandy Melville, the one-size fashion retailer, is now closing all changing rooms in its stores across the US, multiple employees have confirmed.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

“We’ve had all of these recent studies about younger people who don’t necessarily want to see sexually explicit material anymore,” said Brandy Monk-Payton, assistant professor at Fordham University.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

To finish, he served a dish dedicated to his wife's family - a twist on the Brandy Alexander cocktail.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

“Folded” has floated above it all, reaching a new peak of No. 6 in January—Toni Braxton and Brandy have both appeared on remixes—before triumphing in the best R&B song category at the Grammys.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

I’m so happy when Brandy calls me to ask if I want to come for lunch that I have to keep myself from cartwheeling into a wall.

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Related Words

• whiskey