Meaning & use
Portuguese martini
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A cocktail made with gin or vodka, dry vermouth, and a splash of port wine.
Grammar: Countable: you can order 'a Portuguese martini' or 'two Portuguese martinis'.
Patterns
- order a Portuguese martini
- a Portuguese martini with extra port
She ordered a Portuguese martini before dinner and sipped it slowly at the bar.
The bartender stirred a Portuguese martini and garnished it with a twist of orange peel.
At the wedding reception they served Portuguese martinis instead of champagne.
Word forms
| plural | Portuguese martinis |
|---|
Common combinations
- order a Portuguese martini
- We ordered a Portuguese martini each and watched the sunset.
- a dry Portuguese martini
- He likes a dry Portuguese martini with very little vermouth.
- garnish a Portuguese martini
- The barman garnished the Portuguese martini with a strip of lemon peel.
- serve Portuguese martinis
- They serve Portuguese martinis in the hotel's rooftop bar.
Synonyms and how they differ
- martini
- The general name for the gin-and-vermouth cocktail; the Portuguese version adds port, so it is a specific variation.
- cocktail
- A much broader word for any mixed alcoholic drink, not just this one.
Word family
- port noun
- The sweet fortified wine that gives this cocktail its name.
Commonly confused: Portuguese martini or martini? Portuguese martini or Martini?
Portuguese martini vs martini
A plain martini has gin and vermouth only; a Portuguese martini also contains port wine.
Portuguese martini vs Martini
With a capital M and no other word, this is a brand of vermouth and sparkling wine, not the cocktail itself.
Practice
Which ingredient makes a martini 'Portuguese'?
Choose one answer.
'Portuguese' here refers to port, the fortified wine from Portugal, which is added to the classic gin-and-vermouth mix. Pineapple and honey would make a sweet tropical drink, and Portuguese brandy is not the defining ingredient.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Portuguese martini”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.