varietal

American  

[vuh-rahy-i-tl] / vəˈraɪ ɪ tl /

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, designating, or characteristic of a variety.

2. constituting a variety.

3. (in U.S. winemaking) designating a wine made entirely or chiefly from one variety of grape.

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noun

1. a varietal wine named for such a grape (distinguished from generic).

varietal British  

/ vəˈraɪɪtəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, characteristic of, designating, or forming a variety, esp a biological variety

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noun

1. a wine labelled with the name of the grape from which it is pressed

Other Word Forms

• intervarietal
  adjective
• varietally
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of varietal

First recorded in 1865–70; variet(y) + -al ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

varietal

It may have done the varietal a favor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

Delicata is a very popular varietal with sweet flavor and creamy texture.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2023

Some governments, particularly in Europe, designated appellations—strictly circumscribed regions with rules on how and where a varietal such as burgundy, rioja or barolo was legally allowed to grow and be produced.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 21, 2023

Like a mustard stain that no varietal of Oxy Clean can remove.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2023

Of course there is a considerable varietal variation within each species.

From Northern Nut Growers Association Report of the Proceedings at the Thirty-Seventh Annual Report Wooster, Ohio, September 3, 4, 5, 1946 by Northern Nut Growers Association

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