Xerez
/ʃeˈɾeʃ/noun
An old Spanish spelling and historical name for Jerez, especially in references to the fortified wine now called sherry.
Did you know?The English word “sherry” developed when English speakers mistook the Spanish phrase “vino de Xerez” for “a wine of sherry,” effectively turning a place name into the drink’s name.
Etymological Timeline
Roman Antiquity
Latin
Ceret
“A recorded ancient place-name associated with the area of modern Jerez; its deeper origin is uncertain.”
Early Medieval Period
Arabic
Sharīsh
“The Arabic form of the place-name used for Jerez under Muslim rule in al-Andalus.”
Medieval Spanish
Old Spanish
Xerez
“A historical Spanish spelling of the Andalusian city’s name, pronounced with an older sibilant sound.”
15th–16th Century
Spanish
vino de Xerez
““Wine of Xerez,” the local wine exported from the Jerez region.”
16th Century
English
sherry
“An English form created from Spanish “Xerez,” especially through the phrase “wine of Xerez.””
Modern English
English
Xerez
“A historical or variant form referring to Jerez, most often encountered in historical, wine, or philological contexts.”