Meaning & use
snifter
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Meanings
nouncountable
A short glass with a wide bowl that narrows at the top, used for drinking brandy or similar strong spirits.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a snifter' or 'two snifters'.
Patterns
- a snifter of brandy
- pour something into a snifter
He poured a small amount of brandy into a snifter and warmed it in his hand.
The bartender served the cognac in a snifter rather than a wine glass.
nounsingularinformal
A small amount of an alcoholic drink, especially brandy or whisky.
Grammar: Usually singular and informal; often used with 'have' or 'take'.
Patterns
- have a snifter
- a snifter of whisky
After dinner, he enjoyed a snifter of whisky by the fire.
She doesn't drink much, but she'll have a snifter on special occasions.
Word forms
| plural | snifters |
|---|
Common combinations
- brandy snifter
- The shop sells brandy snifters and other glassware.
- a snifter of cognac
- He ordered a snifter of cognac after his meal.
- warm a snifter
- You should warm the snifter in your hands before drinking.
- a snifter glass
- She bought a set of snifter glasses for the party.
Synonyms and how they differ
- balloon glass
- A balloon glass is similar but often larger and rounder; a snifter is smaller and more specifically for spirits.
- dram
- A dram is a small measure of whisky, especially in Scotland; it refers to the amount, not the glass.
- nip
- A nip is a small amount of liquor, often served in a shot glass; it does not imply a wide-bowled glass.
Commonly confused: snifter or sniff? snifter or snifter?
snifter vs sniff
Sniff is a verb meaning to breathe in through the nose; a snifter is a glass or a small drink.
snifter vs snifter
Not to be confused with 'snifter' as a slang term for a small amount of cocaine; that use is rare and offensive.
Practice
Choose the best word to complete the sentence: 'He poured himself a ______ of brandy after dinner.'
Choose one answer.
'Snifter' is the correct word for a glass or a small drink of brandy. 'Sifter' is a kitchen tool, 'sniff' is an action, and 'snifterful' is not a standard word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “snifter”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.