wine

American  

[wahyn] / waɪn /

noun

1. the fermented juice of grapes, made in many varieties, such as red, white, sweet, dry, still, and sparkling, for use as a beverage, in cooking, in religious rites, etc., and usually having an alcoholic content of 14 percent or less.

2. a particular variety of such fermented grape juice.

   port and sherry wines.

3. the juice, fermented or unfermented, of various other fruits or plants, used as a beverage, sauce, etc..

   gooseberry wine; currant wine.

4. a dark reddish color, as of red wines.

5. Pharmacology. vinum.

6. something that invigorates, cheers, or intoxicates like wine.

7. British.

   1. a social gathering at which wine is the major beverage.

   2. a party, especially one held by university students, for drinking wine.

8. Obsolete. intoxication due to the drinking of wine.

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adjective

1. dark red in color.

verb (used with object)

wined, wining

1. to supply with wine.

   He wined his cellar with rare vintages.

verb (used without object)

wined, wining

1. to drink wine.

idioms

1. new wine in old bottles, something new placed in or superimposed on an old or existing form, system, etc. Matthew 9:17.

2. wine and dine, to entertain lavishly.

   They wined and dined us in order to get us to sign the new contract.

wine British  

/ waɪn /

noun

1. 1. an alcoholic drink produced by the fermenting of grapes with water and sugar

   2. an alcoholic drink produced in this way from other fruits, flowers, etc

      elderberry wine

2. 1. a dark red colour, sometimes with a purplish tinge

   2. ( as adjective )

      wine-coloured

3. anything resembling wine in its intoxicating or invigorating effect

4. obsolete pharmacol fermented grape juice containing medicaments

5. a dialect word for water

6. something new added to or imposed upon an old or established order

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verb

1. (intr) to drink wine

2. to entertain or be entertained with wine and fine food

Other Word Forms

• wineless adjective
• winish adjective

Etymology

Origin of wine

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun), Old English wīn (cognate with Dutch wijn, German Wein, Old Norse vīn, Gothic wein ), ultimately derived from Latin vīnum (cognate with Greek oînos )

Example Sentences

But the pair of young couples are treating this practical business transaction between customer and caterer as their double date, lingering too long and asking for more wine, joking that they’re not quite certain yet.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

He also writes the Weekend Sip column, which covers wine, spirits and beer.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

With wine consumption down, major California wine companies are laying off workers and shuttering production facilities.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

Canada, a huge market for American alcohol, largely cleared its shelves of liquor, wine and beer from the U.S. over a year ago, cutting that market off nearly completely.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

He is under arrest, locked up on the Discovery, and his private store of wine, dried beef, eggs, oatmeal, and other good food has been shared equally among all of us.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

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