(sometimes initial capital letter) a naturally effervescent mineral water containing common salt and small quantities of sodium, calcium, and magnesium carbonates.
tap water that has been commercially filtered, carbonated, and bottled with no addition of minerals or mineral salts.
a natural effervescent water with a high content of minerals
a similar synthetic water, used as a beverage
1735–45; < German Selterser named after Selters, a village near Wiesbaden; see -er 1
How does seltzer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
You can call carbonated, fizzy water seltzer. Sometimes people who are trying to drink less soda enjoy drinking seltzer instead. Seltzer is simply water with bubbles added, via dissolved carbon dioxide gas. You can also call seltzer "soda water," "sparkling water," or "club soda." In the U.K., seltzer is considered so old-fashioned that it's nearly obsolete, but it's common in the U.S. Soda water is the original name, from the sodium that was once added. Seltzer comes from the German town Selters, famous for its natural mineral springs.
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At first glance, it looks like a neon-lit airport sundry store with a refrigerator case of soft drinks, water, beer and seltzer and rows of candy and salty snacks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
Desperate times call for desperate measures, complete with seltzer bottles and pratfalls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 2, 2026
Other highlights among Jons aisles are Borjomi, a Georgian seltzer that’s available in L.A. only at international grocery stores like Jons and Super King.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2024
The experts who Stewart brings on his broadcasts help us to make sense of the unfathomable, which he jazzes up as well as he can with a bit of comedic seltzer here and there.
From Salon ● Mar. 4, 2024
His trainer gave him a swig of seltzer, which he spit into the bucket.
From "145th Street: Short Stories" by Walter Dean Myers
The Supreme Court actually did something good this week: The justices struck a huge blow in favor of privacy in the digital age, Cullen Seltzer explains.
From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026
Mr. Joseph, an educational-game consultant and a co-founder of the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum, offers a jumble of anecdotes and reflections about Sondheim’s creations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025
“MECFS researchers and advocates have been managing to do the impossible with next to nothing, and we will continue to do so,” Seltzer said.
From Salon ● Apr. 1, 2025
“People are angry and people are in pain and it goes around and around. … We have to find a way to stop,” Seltzer said.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 3, 2023
“The Finns are strong people. They’ll fight,” said Dr. Seltzer.
From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys
Craft beer and hard seltzers fizzled out after a few years of explosive growth, for instance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Orange juice had even lost the battle for shelf space to seltzers and energy drinks and kombucha and more.
From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2026
Constellation has pushed into faster-growing categories, including low-alcohol offerings like hard seltzers and nonalcoholic drinks such as Hiyo, a botanical-infused tonic.
From Barron's ● Apr. 8, 2026
Lower-priced wines are doing particularly badly as young adults favor craft beers, seltzers, kombucha, ciders and other flavored beverages with little or no alcohol.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2025
Carbonated waters are to be especially avoided, such as soda, seltzers, Preblauer, Geisshubler, and acid waters; also champagne and beer, heavy Italian, Spanish, and English wines.
From The Four Epochs of Woman's Life; a study in hygiene by Galbraith, Anna M. (Anna Mary)
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.
