cognac

American  

[kohn-yak, kon-, kaw-nyak] / ˈkoʊn yæk, ˈkɒn-, kɔˈnyak /

noun

1. (often initial capital letter) the brandy distilled in and shipped from the legally delimited area surrounding the town of Cognac, in W central France.

2. any French brandy.

3. any good brandy.

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Cognac British  

/ kɔɲak, ˈkɒnjæk /

noun

1. a town in SW France: centre of the district famed for its brandy. Pop: 19 534 (1999)

2. (sometimes not capital) a high-quality grape brandy

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Etymology

Origin of cognac

Borrowed into English from French around 1585–95

Compare meaning

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

• brandy vs. cognac

Example Sentences

And his ventures beyond entertainment include cognac and champagne brands.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sales in China tumbled 27% as consumers stayed away from bars, hitting the on-trade business, with cognac sales notably depressed, the company said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sales at Moet-Hennessy, which houses the group’s cognac and wine brands, grew 1%, while revenue at the watches and jewelry business—home to Tiffany and Bulgari—increased 2%.

From The Wall Street Journal

There's a 1912 cognac, from the birth year of the president's Scottish-born mother.

From BBC

“She’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever observed,” said Elizabeth Pierce of Newbury Park, the lone red baseball cap in a field of cognac loafers and Chanel-inspired skirt suits.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• alcoholic beverage
• brandy