vodka
Meanings
- A clear distilled alcoholic liquor made from grain mash.
- A serving of the above beverage.
- Neutral spirits distilled (or treated after distillation) so as to have no distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color.
- A Russian.
- Russian language.
- Alternative letter-case form of vodka (“Russian”).
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wed- Proto-Indo-European *-r̥ Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ Proto-Balto-Slavic *wandō Proto-Slavic *voda Old East Slavic вода (voda) Russian вода́ (vodá) Proto-Slavic *-ьka Proto-Indo-European *-keh₂der. Proto-Balto-Slavic *-kāˀ Proto-Slavic *-ъka Russian -ка (-ka) Russian во́дка (vódka)bor. English vodka Borrowed from Russian во́дка (vódka), from вода́ (vodá, “water”) + -ка (-ka, “-let: forming diminutives”). The archaic Russian name for vodka was хле́бное вино́ (xlébnoje vinó, “grain wine”); V. Pokhlyobkin's research suggests the present name derived from expressions concerning the dilution of the initial pure distilled spirit such as "vodka of grain wine". Cognates include Sanskrit उदक (udaka), Ancient Greek ὕδωρ (húdōr) → English hydro-, English whisky and English water.