liqueur
/li'kjuə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A strong, sweet, and highly flavored alcoholic beverage typically consumed in small quantities after a meal as a digestif. It is distinct from other spirits due to its high sugar content and the infusion or blending of various flavorings such as fruits, herbs, spices, flowers, nuts, or cream.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- After dinner, they served a small glass of mint liqueur.
- The recipe calls for a tablespoon of orange liqueur.
- She enjoys collecting different artisanal liqueurs from her travels.
Advanced Usage
- "To be in one's cups" (idiom, related to drinking): To be drunk.
- After several liqueurs, he was decidedly in his cups.
- Descriptive Use: Liqueurs are often described by their primary flavor.
- This is a fine herbal liqueur with notes of anise and fennel.
Variants and Related Words
- Cordial (noun): In some regions, particularly the UK, this can be a synonym for a non-alcoholic, sweet, fruit-flavored syrup. In American English, it can be synonymous with liqueur.
- Digestif (noun): A category of alcoholic beverages, often including liqueurs, served after a meal to aid digestion.
- Liqueurist (noun): A maker or expert in liqueurs (less common).
Synonyms
- Cordial (in American usage): A sweet, flavored, often fruit-based alcoholic spirit.
- Digestif: An after-dinner drink, which may be a liqueur, brandy, or other spirit.
- Spirit: A broader category of distilled alcoholic beverages.
Related Phrases
- Liqueur glass: A small stemmed glass specifically designed for serving liqueurs.
- The crème de menthe was presented in a delicate liqueur glass.
- Coffee liqueur: A specific type of liqueur flavored with coffee.
- He used coffee liqueur to make a decadent dessert sauce.
Related Idioms
- To have a sweet tooth (figuratively applied): While not exclusive to liqueurs, it describes a preference for sweet things, which aligns with the character of liqueurs.
- With her love for amaretto and crème de cacao, she certainly has a sweet tooth for liqueurs.
Noun
- strong highly flavored sweet liquor usually drunk after a meal