mint julep

American

noun

an alcoholic drink traditionally made with bourbon, sugar, and finely cracked ice and garnished with sprigs of mint, served in a tall, frosted glass: also made with other kinds of whiskey, brandy, and sometimes rum.

mint julep British

noun

a long drink consisting of bourbon whiskey, crushed ice, sugar, and sprigs of mint

"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 mint julep

An Americanism dating back to 1800–10

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.

Hold on to your mint julep because tomorrow Cox hopes to change that.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

A mint julep that sold for $4.99 in 2020 now costs $5.49.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2022

This makes sense, as a mint julep is typically made by combining bourbon, mint and a simple sugar syrup over ice.

From Salon • May 7, 2022

“Let us raise a mint julep to our stars,” she proclaimed, “on that great veranda in the sky!”

From New York Times • Jul. 26, 2020

"Now see here, Tom," said Daisy, turning around from the mirror, "if you're going to make personal remarks I won't stay here a minute. Call up and order some ice for the mint julep."

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023