What does liquor mean?
Liquor means alcoholic drink, with its meaning varying somewhat by region and context. In North American English it most often refers to distilled spirits such as whisky, vodka, rum, gin, and brandy, and common expressions include liquor store, liquor cabinet, and liquor license. British speakers usually use spirits to distinguish distilled drinks from beer and wine, though liquor can also function as a general or literary term for alcoholic beverages. In contexts describing heavy drinking, the word may carry a negative or dismissive connotation, especially when it refers to cheap alcohol. The term should not be confused with liqueur, which is a specific category of sweetened, often flavoured alcoholic drinks. Recognising these regional and social differences helps make the word precise: liquor can denote a particular class of drinks, alcoholic drink in general, or the social subject of alcohol consumption.
An alcoholic drink, especially a distilled spirit such as whisky, vodka, rum, or gin.
"The bar serves several kinds of liquor by the measure."
Especially in North American English, liquor often forms compounds referring to the retail and regulation of distilled spirits.
Alcoholic drinks collectively.
"The ban on liquor was introduced during the final months of the war."
This use can be formal, historical, or general, and may carry a negative connotation when the context concerns excessive or prohibited drinking.
To drink alcoholic liquor, especially in a casual or celebratory context.
"They liquored up before the concert."
This informal use is chiefly North American and is now more common in the expression liquor up than as a standalone verb.
The plural is uncommon in ordinary speech but may be used formally to refer to different kinds or types of alcoholic drink.
"The catalogue lists wines, beers, and spirits under separate headings, with liqueurs treated as a category of their own."
Ask for liquor in the United States and you may get distilled spirits; ask for it in Britain and you may simply be asking for a drink.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does liquor come from?
The word comes through Old French liqueur, meaning a liquid or fluid, from Latin liquor, a fluid or liquid substance. The Latin word was related to liquere, meaning to be fluid or liquid. English initially used the word in the broad sense of any liquid substance, but the sense for alcoholic drink developed in the 15th century.
Related word forms
How liquor is actually used
In North American English, liquor commonly emphasizes distilled spirits and is frequently paired with words such as store, cabinet, and license. British speakers more often use spirits for distilled alcoholic drinks and may use liquor as a general or literary term for alcoholic drink. The word can be mildly disparaging when referring to cheap or excessive alcohol consumption.
Easily confused with liquor
Liquor is a general term for alcoholic drinks and often for distilled spirits, whereas a liqueur is a sweetened alcoholic drink flavoured with fruit, herbs, or other ingredients.
Liquor means an alcoholic drink, while liquid means a substance that flows and retains no fixed shape.