Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of liqueur: A sweet alcoholic beverage, typically made by flavoring wine or brandy with the kernels of fruits such as plums, peaches, apricots, or bitter almonds.
   • A type of macaroon or biscuit: A small, sweet cake or cookie that is flavored with the same ingredients used to make ratafia liqueur, particularly almond flavor.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Liqueur):
  • They served a glass of ratafia as a digestif after the meal.
  • The recipe for this ratafia calls for peach kernels and brandy.
• Noun (Macaroon):
  • The dessert tray included delicate ratafias alongside the tea.
  • She baked almond ratafias for the party.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Culinary Context: The term is often used in historical or traditional culinary contexts to describe specific, often homemade, liqueurs or confections.
  • The 18th-century cookbook contained a recipe for ratafia made with wild cherries.

Variants and Related Words

• Ratafia biscuit/cookie: A more descriptive term for the almond-flavored macaroon.
• Ratafia liqueur: A more descriptive term for the alcoholic beverage.

Synonyms

• Liqueur: A general term for a sweet, flavored alcoholic spirit. (Note: "ratafia" specifies certain traditional flavorings.)
• Macaroon: A general term for a small, sweet cake, often made with almond paste. (Note: "ratafia" specifies a particular almond-flavored type.)

Notes on Meaning

• The two primary meanings are distinct but related, as both the drink and the biscuit traditionally derive their characteristic flavor from similar ingredients, particularly fruit kernels or bitter almonds.
• The word is not commonly used in everyday modern English but may be encountered in historical texts, specialized cookbooks, or discussions of traditional European liqueurs and pastries.

Noun

1. macaroon flavored with ratafia liqueur
2. sweet liqueur made from wine and brandy flavored with plum or peach or apricot kernels and bitter almonds