champagne

¹ American  

[sham-peyn] / ʃæmˈpeɪn /

noun

1. (initial capital letter) the sparkling, dry, white table wine from the region of Champagne in France.

2. a similar sparkling wine produced elsewhere.

3. (formerly) the nonsparkling, dry, white table wine produced in the region of Champagne in France.

4. a very pale yellow or greenish-yellow color.

5. anything considered the best or luxurious.

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adjective

1. having the color of champagne.

2. luxurious or expensive.

   champagne tastes.

Champagne ² American  

[sham-peyn, shahn-pan-y^uh] / ʃæmˈpeɪn, ʃɑ̃ˈpan yə /

noun

1. a region and former province in NE France.

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champagne British  

/ ʃæmˈpeɪn /

noun

1. (sometimes capital) a white sparkling wine produced around Reims and Epernay, France

2. (loosely) any effervescent white wine

3. 1. a colour varying from a pale orange-yellow to a greyish-yellow

   2. ( as adjective )

      a champagne carpet

4. (modifier) denoting a luxurious lifestyle

   a champagne capitalist

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Etymology

Origin of champagne

First recorded in 1655–65; after Champagne

Explanation

Champagne is a bubbly white wine that people often drink to celebrate happy occasions. When you pull the cork out of a bottle of champagne, it makes a loud pop. Traditionally, the sparkling wine known as champagne came from a specific region of France and was made from certain grapes grown there. Some people now call any sparkling wine champagne, but most champagnes are made following certain rules and traditions. A champagne glass is called a flute, and it's tall and narrow with a long stem. The word champagne is short for vin de Champagne, "wine made in Champagne."

Example Sentences

As the champagne corks popped around him, the five-time major champion was already speaking about how he believed finally landing the Masters would "free" him up for further success.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

Prosecutors believe the fire started when champagne bottles with sparklers attached were raised too close to the ceiling in the bar's basement level, igniting the sound insulation foam.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

“It’s too soon to pop the champagne and conclude that China is shaking off its post-Covid torpor,” said economists at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

But read the fine print before you pop the champagne.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

He offered him his friendship, invited him to bathe in champagne, tried to make him understand that the females of his family had insides made of flint, but he could not weaken his obstinacy.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Related Words

• bubbly
• wine