Meaning & use
aquavit
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable or uncountable
A strong clear alcoholic drink from Scandinavia, flavored with caraway or dill.
Grammar: Can be countable for a glass or a brand (an aquavit), uncountable for the liquid (a bottle of aquavit).
Patterns
- a glass of aquavit
- aquavit is flavored with something
In Norway, people often drink aquavit with Christmas dinner.
This aquavit is flavored with caraway and a little dill.
He ordered a glass of aquavit to warm up.
Word forms
| plural | aquavits |
|---|
Common combinations
- a bottle of aquavit
- We brought a bottle of aquavit back from Copenhagen.
- caraway-flavored aquavit
- The caraway-flavored aquavit goes well with pickled fish.
- a shot of aquavit
- He poured a shot of aquavit for each guest.
- ice-cold aquavit
- They serve ice-cold aquavit at the midsummer party.
Synonyms and how they differ
- schnapps
- A broader term for strong clear spirits; aquavit is a specific Scandinavian type flavored with caraway or dill.
- vodka
- Vodka is usually unflavored and neutral, while aquavit has a distinct caraway or dill taste.
Word family
- akvavit noun
- A variant spelling of aquavit, common in Denmark and Norway.
Commonly confused: aquavit or aqua vitae?
aquavit vs aqua vitae
Aqua vitae is an old Latin term for strong distilled spirits in general; aquavit is the specific Scandinavian drink.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'aquavit' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Aquavit is a spirit drunk as a beverage, so 'drank a glass of aquavit' fits. The others treat it as a cooking ingredient or cleaner, which is not typical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aquavit”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.