cider

American  

[sahy-der] / ˈsaɪ dər /

British, cyder

noun

• ciders
  plural

1. the juice pressed from apples (or formerly from some other fruit) used for drinking, either before fermentation sweet cider or after fermentation hard cider, or for making applejack, vinegar, etc.

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cider British  

/ ˈsaɪdə /

noun

1. Also called (US): hard cider.  an alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of apples

2. Also called: sweet cider.  an unfermented drink made from apple juice

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• ciderish
  adjective
• ciderlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• ciders
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cider

1250–1300; Middle English sidre < Middle French < Old French si ( s ) dre < Late Latin sīcera strong drink < Septuagint Greek sī́kera < Hebrew shēkhār (Levit. 10:9); replacing Middle English sithere < Old French sidre

Explanation

Cider is an unfiltered juice or fermented beverage made from apples. In the fall, there's nothing like a mug of hot, spiced cider. Apple cider is a darker-colored, unsweetened version of apple juice — the main difference is that cider is fresh, with a short shelf life, and it isn't filtered. Another kind of cider is this same pressed apple juice, allowed to ferment and become alcoholic. This is often called "hard cider." The word comes from the Old French cidre, "pear or apple cider," ultimately from the Hebrew shekhar, "strong drink."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cider ciders

Man 'bought cider while mum lay on bathroom floor'

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

The company said it plans to expand into low-alcohol and no-alcohol drinks, cider, and other “beyond beer” brands.

From Barron's ● Jun. 23, 2026

Mahan recalled growing up in Watsonville, an agricultural community that is the home of Driscoll’s berries and Martinelli’s apple cider.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2026

This cider has no added colors, artificial flavors and preservatives, or sugar.

From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2026

Their dad kept an apple cider jug filled with loose change down in his basement workshop.

From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein

It is over 150 years old and owns major brands including Murphy's Irish Stout, Sol, Desperados and Amstel, as well as ciders Strongbow, Inch's, Old Mout, Bulmers and Red Stripe.

From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026

“It’s the name most people know at grocery stores,” said Eddie Brennan, the president of family-owned Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards in LaFayette, N.Y., makers of 1911 Established ciders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 25, 2025

Lower-priced wines are doing particularly badly as young adults favor craft beers, seltzers, kombucha, ciders and other flavored beverages with little or no alcohol.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2025

Ironbound Farm and Ciderhouse’s Harrison Heritage Collection features ciders made from the nearly lost Harrison apple, a variety they’ve been instrumental in reviving.

From Salon ● Dec. 16, 2024

In my youth in the Transkei, I listened to the ciders of my tribe telling stories of the old days.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela