What does aperitif mean?
An aperitif is a light alcoholic beverage consumed before a meal, intended to stimulate the appetite and mark the transition into dining. Typical examples include dry vermouth, champagne, kir, Campari, and pastis. The custom is deeply rooted in southern European culture — France and Italy in particular — where the pre-dinner drink often doubles as a social occasion shared with friends over olives or small snacks. The word entered English from French in the nineteenth century and retains a whiff of continental refinement; using it suggests familiarity with formal dining or European habits of eating and drinking. It contrasts with the digestif, a heavier spirit such as cognac or amaro served after a meal. In everyday English, 'aperitif' appears both as the name of a specific drink category and, more broadly, as shorthand for the relaxed ritual of gathering for a drink before sitting down to eat.
nounAn alcoholic drink, typically dry and light such as vermouth or champagne, drunk before a meal to stimulate the appetite.
- A light alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite.
- The ritual or social occasion of having such a drink, especially in European cultures.
"We sipped an aperitif on the terrace before dinner was served."
"She ordered a kir as her aperitif while studying the menu."
"In Lyon, the evening aperitif is as much about conversation as it is about the drink itself."
The standard English plural adds -s without the accent. The accented French form 'apéritifs' occasionally appears in menus or food writing but is not required.
"The hotel offers complimentary aperitifs at sunset."
The word 'aperitif' literally means 'to open' in Latin — it opens your appetite, and possibly your evening.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of aperitif
Aperitif comes from the French word apéritif, which derives from the Latin verb aperire, meaning 'to open.' The underlying idea is that the drink 'opens' the appetite before eating. The same Latin root gives English words such as appetite and appetizer, making them true etymological cousins. The term was borrowed into English during the nineteenth century alongside the fashionable European custom of taking a pre-dinner drink.
How aperitif is actually used
Borrowed from French, the word carries a connotation of continental sophistication and leisurely dining. It is somewhat formal or cosmopolitan in register; in casual American speech people more often say simply 'a drink before dinner.' The plural is usually anglicized ('aperitifs'), though the French-style 'apéritifs' also appears.
Easily confused with aperitif
An aperitif is drunk before a meal to stimulate the appetite, while a digestif is drunk after a meal to aid digestion.