spiritous

American  

[spir-i-tuhs] / ˈspɪr ɪ təs /

adjective

Archaic.

1. of the nature of spirit; immaterial, ethereal, or refined.

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spiritous British  

/ ˈspɪrɪtəs /

adjective

1. a variant spelling of spirituous

2. archaic high-spirited

3. archaic ethereal; pure

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Other Word Forms

• nonspiritous adjective

Etymology

Origin of spiritous

First recorded in 1595–1605; spirit + -ous

Example Sentences

Nevertheless, at eighteen Flora's neat spiritous air lay calm as a wimple over her keenly motivated little self.

From Star-Dust by Hurst, Fannie

The quantity of real alcohol in any spiritous liquors may readily be ascertained by simple distillation, which process separates the alcohol from the water and foreign matters contained in the liquor.

From A Treatise on Adulterations of Food, and Culinary Poisons Exhibiting the Fraudulent Sophistications of Bread, Beer, Wine, Spiritous Liquors, Tea, Coffee, Cream, Confectionery, Vinegar, Mustard, Pepper, Cheese, Olive Oil, Pickles, and Other Articles Employed in Domestic Economy by Accum, Friedrich Christian

We have, therefore, a ready check against the frauds of the dishonest dealers, in spiritous liquors.

From A Treatise on Adulterations of Food, and Culinary Poisons Exhibiting the Fraudulent Sophistications of Bread, Beer, Wine, Spiritous Liquors, Tea, Coffee, Cream, Confectionery, Vinegar, Mustard, Pepper, Cheese, Olive Oil, Pickles, and Other Articles Employed in Domestic Economy by Accum, Friedrich Christian

The manner in which wine, cyder, mead, and all the liquors formed by the spiritous fermentation, are produced, is well known to every one.

From Elements of Chemistry, In a New Systematic Order, Containing all the Modern Discoveries by Lavoisier, Antoine

The presence of lead may be detected in spiritous liquors, as stated on pages 70 and 86.

From A Treatise on Adulterations of Food, and Culinary Poisons Exhibiting the Fraudulent Sophistications of Bread, Beer, Wine, Spiritous Liquors, Tea, Coffee, Cream, Confectionery, Vinegar, Mustard, Pepper, Cheese, Olive Oil, Pickles, and Other Articles Employed in Domestic Economy by Accum, Friedrich Christian