Raki
/ˈrɑː.ki/noun
A strong Turkish anise-flavored distilled spirit, traditionally diluted with water.
Did you know?Raki ultimately traces to Arabic ʿaraq, “sweat,” likely describing the liquid that emerged drop by drop from a distilling vessel.
Etymological Timeline
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
ʿaraq
“Sweat; also a distilled spirit, named in connection with liquid dripping from a still”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
ʿaraqī
“Of or relating to ʿaraq; the source of later spirit names”
14th–16th Century
Ottoman Turkish
araq / rakı
“Distilled alcoholic drink; the form developed into the Turkish name”
17th Century
Turkish
rakı
“A strong distilled spirit, increasingly associated with anise flavoring”
Modern English
English
raki
“Turkish anise-flavored distilled spirit”