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.

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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

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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

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

China’s first allotment of J-Harden Wines, the libation launched by NBA star guard James Harden, sold out in a matter of seconds in a livestream on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 17, 2023

The festival is held in beautiful Esther Short Park and you can sip your libation of choice while listening to live music from the likes of Quiet Riot and Great White.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 14, 2023

Then, as they had no wine, they made libation with clear spring water, broiling the entrails first; and when the bones were burnt and tripes shared, they spitted the carved meat.

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

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

I begrudge no one their holiday libations or liquor-drenched desserts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2023

With my drawn blade I spaded up the votive pit, and poured libations round it to the unnumbered dead: sweet milk and honey, then sweet wine, and last clear water; and I scattered barley down.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer