Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

eau de vie

American  
[ohduh-vee, oh duh vee] / oʊdəˈvi, ˌoʊ də ˈvi /

noun

French.
  1. brandy, especially a coarser and less purified variety.


eau de vie British  
/ əʊ də viː, od vi /

noun

  1. brandy or other spirits

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of eau de vie

Literally, water of life; cf. aqua vitae

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:

“They would use real apple juice or clarified apple juice or they would use an eau de vie from Europe.”

From Salon Nov. 30, 2025

If any of you uncover some ancient recipe for pickles and eau de vie, something that balances the humors, perhaps, let me know.

From Seattle Times Jul. 13, 2022

Taking the play in is like sipping a rarefied eau de vie, the kind that scalds as it cools.

From New York Times Sep. 26, 2019

The flow of eau de vie must have been dammed at the inn.

From "And they thought we wouldn't fight" by Floyd Gibbons

Mon Dieu! but no, citizen," exclaimed the woman, "it is good strong eau de vie, the best that can be procured.

From El Dorado, an adventure of the Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy, Baroness Orczy

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training