Whisky
/ˈwɪs.ki/noun
A distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash.
Did you know?The word 'whisky' comes from the Gaelic term for 'water of life', reflecting its cultural significance in Scotland and Ireland.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Celtic
Celtic
*uisge
“water”
Old Irish
Irish
uisce beatha
“water of life”
Middle Irish
Irish
uisge beatha
“water of life”
17th Century
Scots Gaelic
uisge-beatha
“whisky, water of life”
Modern English
English
whisky
“Distilled spirit made from grain”