an Italian vermouth
a cocktail of gin and vermouth
First recorded in 1885–90; perhaps alteration of Martinez (an earlier alternate name of the drink, of disputed origin), by back formation (taking it as plural), or by association with the vermouth manufacturer Martini, Sola & Co. (later Martini & Rossi)
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There will be bartender entertainment at the martini bar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Philippe the Original was in business, but Musso & Frank Grill was three years away from mixing its first martini.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Adding olive brine to a Bloody Mary introduces the same savory complexity that makes a dirty martini so addictive.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
It’s refreshing in the way a dirty martini is refreshing.
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026
“What are you doing here in borghese?” the barman asked after he had mixed a second martini.
From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway
Aurélien Martini of the USM magistrates' union said that citizen vigilantes "risked disrupting genuine police investigations that might already be under way into a suspect".
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
This year's offerings include the "Best in Show," the "Golden Cut Margarita," the "Maestro Martini" and "The Sequel," made with gold vanilla edible paint streaked along the side.
From Barron's ● Mar. 11, 2026
"It was a lot of trial and error and going back to the whiteboard," Martini says.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 3, 2026
“Every organization has a different situation,” Martini said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
He stopped looking at it and began to stare at the stem of his Martini glass, looking worried and vaguely, unfairly conspired against.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
Caprese martinis have started appearing on cocktail menus everywhere, joining the ongoing evolution of the martini from simple cocktail to culinary playground.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
Nor do they hover around the main action, loosing barbs of criticism or leering suggestively over their martinis or wistfully reminiscing about the past.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
They say one way to grab someone’s attention is with a startling piece of data, so get this: Four women were having espresso martinis in San Francisco this past fall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
When asked if more action films lie ahead - maybe even a stint as the next James Bond - Khan replied: "No. I don't have the accent. And I don't like shaken martinis."
From BBC ● Dec. 4, 2025
While Oppie was alone mixing martinis in the kitchen, Chevalier walked in on him to communicate an extraordinary offer.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
