vodka
/ˈvɒdkə
/noun [mass noun]
An alcoholic spirit of Russian origin made by distillation of rye, wheat, or potatoes: we stayed up all night drinking vodka [count noun]: he knocked back a vodka and collapsed into the chair...
- Staff gave her a choice of gin, vodka or whisky, before she was given two cupfuls to drink immediately.
- The weather was lovely but I made the mistake of drinking absinthe, cider then vodka.
- When they returned home they took bottles of whisky and vodka back with them and another row ensued.
Origin
Russian, diminutive of voda 'water'.
The name of the clear, strong alcoholic spirit claims that it is just ‘water’—it is a diminutive form of Russian voda ‘water’. Travellers to Russia brought the word back to Britain in the early 19th century. See also water, whisky