Falernian

Meanings

1. 1noununcountablespecialist

   A famous strong white wine from Campania in ancient Italy, praised by Roman writers.

   Grammar: Usually uncountable: they drank Falernian.

   Patterns

   • a cup of Falernian
   • drink Falernian

   Roman poets praised Falernian as one of the finest wines of the empire.

   At the banquet in the novel, the host poured aged Falernian for his guests.

   Historians still debate what Falernian actually tasted like.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounliterary

   Relating to the Falernian region or its wine.

   Grammar: Comes before a noun: Falernian vintage.

   Patterns

   • Falernian wine
   • Falernian vintage

   The writer described a Falernian vintage that was decades old.

   Falernian vineyards covered the slopes below the mountain.

   He raised a Falernian cup to the emperor.

Common combinations

aged Falernian

The aged Falernian was kept for special feasts.

a cup of Falernian

The poet asked for a cup of Falernian.

Falernian wine

Falernian wine was prized for its strength.

Falernian vintage

Writers boasted about a hundred-year-old Falernian vintage.

drink Falernian

Wealthy Romans liked to drink Falernian at dinner.

Synonyms and how they differ

vintage wine

Vintage wine is a general term for fine old wine, while Falernian names one very specific ancient wine.

Roman wine

Roman wine covers any wine made in ancient Rome, but Falernian was a single prestigious type.

fine wine

Fine wine praises quality in any period, and Falernian carries strong historical associations.

Word family

Falernus proper noun

the district in Campania where the grapes grew

Falerno noun

the modern Italian wine from the same area

vintage noun

wine of a particular year or the harvest producing it

Commonly confused: Falernian or Falernum?

Practice

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