lees

[leez]

plural noun

1. the insoluble matter that settles from a liquid, especially from wine; sediment; dreg.

lees

/ liːz /

plural noun

1. the sediment from an alcoholic drink

Word History and Origins

Origin of lees¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lie, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin lia, probably from unattested Gaulish lig(j)a; compare Old Irish lige “bed,” akin to Old English gelege “bed”; lie ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of lees¹

C14: plural of obsolete lee, from Old French, probably from Celtic; compare Irish lige bed

Example Sentences

Like Muscadet, this is a wine with a lot of seaside influence with body, also often intensified by lees contact.

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Panettone baking competitions have sprung up in Singapore and Japan, where one version is leavened with sake lees.

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The cava brut designation means it was aged a minimum of nine months on the lees.

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This delicious example tastes as though age on the lees and in bottle has given it a fuller mouthfeel and richer texture.

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In Austria, three tiers of quality — Klassik, Reserve, and Große Reserve — regulate region of origin, alcohol level, winemaking methods, and lees aging with increasing strictness.

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