Rotgut
/ˈrɑːtˌɡʌt/noun
Very poor-quality liquor, especially cheap alcohol that is likely to cause illness.
Did you know?Rotgut is a vivid English compound from the 18th–19th century: a brutally literal slang term for liquor thought to damage the stomach, not a mystical word, but a perfect example of language turning bodily fear into power.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
rotian
“to decay, become putrid”
Old English
OE
gutta
“a drop; later associated with the bowels/gut in later English usage”
Middle English
English
rot gut
“a compound idea of decaying stomach or stomach-wrecking liquor”
18th–19th Century
English
rotgut
“cheap, harsh, low-quality liquor”
Modern English
English
rotgut
“very poor-quality liquor”