What does schnapps mean?
Schnapps is a loanword now used for a family of alcoholic drinks whose precise composition varies by country and context. In British and broader international English, it commonly means a clear, strong distilled spirit flavoured with fruit or herbs; in the United States, it often means a fruit-flavoured malt beverage containing added spirits. The distinction can surprise readers because both products are sold and described as schnapps, even though their basic ingredients and legal categories differ. Schnapps is sometimes flavoured with peppermint, peach, citrus, or other fruits and may be served chilled, mixed with juice, or used in cocktails. The word carries no inherent implication that the drink is cheap or poorly made, although inexpensive mass-market products are widely associated with it. It remains especially familiar in American liquor stores and bars, where familiar flavour names such as peach, blueberry, and raspberry are especially prominent.
nounA clear alcoholic drink, especially a fruit-flavoured distilled spirit. In the United States, the term often specifically denotes a flavoured malt beverage containing added spirits.
- A clear, strong alcoholic drink distilled from grain and commonly flavoured with fruit.
- In the United States, a flavoured malt beverage containing added spirits.
"They served chilled schnapps with the meal."
"The bartender mixed the schnapps with apple juice and ice."
"This American peach-flavoured schnapps is smooth enough to drink on its own."
The plural is normally the unchanged form “schnapps,” although the noun is often treated as a mass noun.
"They stocked several bottles of schnapps for the party."
One word can describe a European fruit spirit or an American flavoured malt drink—and still legally count as schnapps.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does schnapps come from?
English borrowed schnapps from German Schnaps during the 19th century. German Schnaps came from Low German forms such as snapps, denoting a distilled spirit, although the precise development of the drink name is not entirely certain. The word is commonly associated with the Germanic root underlying English snap and snappy, but the semantic connection between snapping and the designation of an alcoholic drink remains debated.
How schnapps is actually used
The word is usually treated as a mass noun, though forms such as “a schnapps” occur when individual servings or bottles are meant. British and broader international usage often emphasizes a distilled spirit, whereas the specifically American meaning centres on a flavoured malt beverage made with spirits.