brandy
Americannoun
-
brandies
plural
verb (used with object)
noun
-
an alcoholic drink consisting of spirit distilled from grape wine
-
a distillation of wines made from other fruits
plum brandy
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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:
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:
Russia has also restricted Armenian fish, famed Jermuk mineral water, wine and brandy.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
The board hated it, Lisa says, but Laird’s Applejack brandy sales increased by about 20% within a year, and rose by 49% within five.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026
Wisconsin, land of cheese curds and brats and brandy Old Fashioneds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2025
More than 40% of French brandy is exported to the US.
From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2025
“Now, Mother, I haven’t troubled Constance with any of that nonsense. There’s nothing to tell, really. Itchy rash. Coughing fits. A stiff brandy and a headache lozenge, and I’m good as new.”
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
In the business of the worst moment, there may be unanimity, just as soon as the effects of the smelling salts and the large brandies kick in.
From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2025
And in an equally symbolic move, the Chinese side said that for now, the brandies would have a reprieve.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2024
Small businesses producing sljivovica and other fruit brandies have sprouted in recent years, offering modern packaging with ethnic-style designs.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 17, 2022
“Lip-plumping treatments,” Mr. Show, compactly handsome at 55, was muttering in between takes, rolling the phrase around in his mouth like one of the top-shelf brandies Mr. Forsythe’s Blake Carrington favored.
From New York Times ● Oct. 6, 2017
Coffees and brandies are poured and the guests settle on various couches and armchairs around the crackling fireplace.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Since I don’t have a French-army-camp-size skillet, I adapted my Marengo for the oven, where I can gently cook eight chicken thighs in brandied sauce without having to hover over the stove using multiple pans.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 12, 2023
It’s really a kind of simplified version of brandied cherries.
From New York Times ● May 6, 2022
What makes them killer is replacing the maraschino cherries in the original recipe with good quality brandied ones.
From Salon ● Dec. 17, 2016
For the last week of 2011, June is recommending the play Stick Fly, which is about an African-American family on Martha’s Vineyard, and Bernard Callebaut brandied cherries, which are only available seasonally.
From Slate ● Dec. 29, 2011
Madam’s list of required delicacies was endless: gingerbread, pies of brandied peaches and preserved cherries and mincemeat, macaroons, blancmange, Jordan almonds, sugar candy, as many kinds of cake as there were fingers on both hands.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Large billboards brandying buzzwords like “blockchain” and “Web3” filled the streets and took many longtime conference-goers by surprise.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 18, 2023
Ropiness was cured by repeated rackings and by brandying, eight gallons per pipe being the normal ratio.
From To the Gold Coast for Gold A Personal Narrative in Two Volumes.—Volume I by Sir Richard Francis Burton
Peaches and pears should be peeled for brandying.
From The Whitehouse Cookbook (1887) Cooking, Toilet and Household Recipes, Menus, Dinner-Giving, Table Etiquette, Care of the Sick, Health Suggestions, Facts Worth Knowing, Etc., Etc. The Whole Comprising a Comprehensive Cyclopedia of Information for the Home by F. L. (Fanny Lemira) Gillette
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
