cocktail party

American  

noun

1. a social gathering, often held during the cocktail hour, at which cocktails and other alcoholic beverages, hors d'oeuvres, and canapés are served.

---

Etymology

Origin of cocktail party

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

For attendees, the events offer a trip back to the age of Old Hollywood glam—and inspiration for a nostalgic cocktail party at home.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

Dimon needed to get to his own company’s cocktail party at the nearby Kirchner Museum.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Hogan was at a cocktail party before the 2023 Edgar Awards, where he was nominated for his last novel, “Gangland,” when his literary agent told him about the project and stipulations associated with it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 28, 2025

Jack Paar was the witty conversationalist that made Middle America feel like it was invited to a sophisticated Manhattan cocktail party.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2025

It is not merely about the cocktail party effect, which demonstrates the power and limitations of our ability to focus.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel