libation

American  

[lahy-bey-shuhn] / laɪˈbeɪ ʃən /

noun

libations plural

1. a pouring out of wine or other liquid in honor of a deity.

2. the liquid poured out.

3. Often Facetious.

   1. an intoxicating beverage, as wine, especially when drunk in ceremonial or celebrative situations.

   2. an act or instance of drinking such a beverage.

---

libation British  

/ laɪˈbeɪʃən /

noun

1. 1. the pouring out of wine, etc, in honour of a deity

   2. the liquid so poured out

2. facetious an alcoholic drink

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• libational
  adjective
• libationary
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• libations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of libation

1350–1400; Middle English libacio ( u ) n < Latin lībātiōn- (stem of lībātiō ) a drink offering, equivalent to lībāt ( us ) (past participle of lībāre to pour; cognate with Greek leíbein ) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Certain ceremonies require dumping a little bit of liquid, usually alcohol, onto the ground. It might seem wasteful, but it’s really a powerful symbolic act called a libation — and it’s worth every drop. In ancient Greece, anyone could make a libation as a sacrifice in hopes that the gods would see it and be pleased. Today some people offer libations in memory of a loved one that has died. One sip for you, one for your homies, as the saying goes. Libation is also a joke term for an alcoholic drink, so you could make a cocktail and call it "a libation."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

libation libations

We believe that a thoughtful libation sets the tone for the meal and it’s a Southern tradition to welcome guests with a cocktail.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2024

A few soft drinks are the only libation.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2024

Airag, a lightly alcoholic beverage made from fermented horse milk, remains a popular libation in Mongolia.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 12, 2023

Popular since the 1840s, root beer, which, like so many of America’s sodas, straddled the line between patent medicine and soothing nonalcoholic libation, was enjoyed as a hot beverage or as a carbonated soda.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 14, 2023

Gravely, when he had done, he made libation and took a sip of honey-hearted wine, giving the cup, then, back into the hands of the young nobleman.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer

Kierstead pointed to pre-theater and lobby libations as a potential culprit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

“This year, the Arizona Bowl is bringing sports, libations, and entertainment into a singular bowl game, and we are changing the definition of what a brand partnership is in the NCAA.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2024

Concertgoers at the Paramount Theater and attendees of the Northwest Folklife Festival, for example, can now order their libations in reusable polypropylene cups.

From Salon ● May 2, 2024

Chen suspects shoppers eventually will tire of purpose-driven drinks in favor of simpler libations.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 15, 2024

“No, you’re not,” Philbert says quietly, staring at the libations in front of me.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz