What does pernod mean?
Pernod denotes a strong, clear liqueur flavoured with anise, as well as a drink made from it. Its flavour is sweet and strongly aromatic, with licorice, fennel, and aniseed notes. In Britain, the name is often used for a serve of the liqueur diluted with water, and “Pernod and soda” denotes the familiar combination with chilled soda water. The drink is associated with café and after-dinner drinking and has a long-standing place in British and Irish social culture. Although the word derives from a French commercial name, it has entered ordinary English usage and may refer either to the original product or more broadly to a drink of the same style. Its distinctive flavour and the striking imagery surrounding its branding make it more distinctive than the broader category of anise-flavoured spirits.
nounA clear, strong alcoholic liqueur flavoured with anise and usually served diluted with water. The term is also used more narrowly for the original French brand and for drinks made in its style.
- An anise-flavoured alcoholic liqueur, especially when diluted with water.
- A drink or measure made with this liqueur.
"He ordered a Pernod and soda with lunch."
"After dinner, they shared a Pernod and soda at the café."
"The barman poured a generous measure of Pernod into the chilled glass."
The plural is uncommon but can denote separate servings or glasses of the drink.
"The host brought out two Pernods after dinner."
Pernod became famous through the Pernod fils posters featuring an impossible green drink—the colour supposedly came from a printing error, but it became the brand’s signature.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of pernod
The name comes from French, where it was adopted as a commercial name in the early 19th century for an anise-flavoured spirit developed by Henri-Louis Pernod. French words such as permanent and perennial have the same Latin root, perenn-, meaning “lasting” or “through the year,” although that connection does not explain the commercial name itself. In English, the name became established as both the name of the French product and a generic term for anise-flavoured liqueur.
How pernod is actually used
In British English, the name is sometimes used generically for anise-flavoured liqueur, though the original French product is protected as a brand. The drink is typically diluted with a large quantity of water; Pernod and soda is a common British expression.