bourbon

noun

bour·​bon ˈbu̇r-bən How to pronounce bourbon (audio)
ˈbȯr-;
usually in sense 3
ˈbər- How to pronounce bourbon (audio)
1
capitalized : a member of a French family founded in 1272 to which belong the rulers of France from 1589 to 1793 and from 1814 to 1830, of Spain from 1700 to 1808, from 1814 to 1868, from 1875 to 1931, and from 1975, of Naples from 1735 to 1805, and of the Two Sicilies from 1815 to 1860
2
: a rose (Rosa borboniana) of upright growth with shining leaves, prickly branches, and clustered large flowers
3
: a whiskey distilled from a mash made up of not less than 51 percent corn plus malt and rye compare corn whiskey
4
often capitalized : a person who clings obstinately to old social and political ideas
specifically : an extremely conservative member of the U.S. Democratic party usually from the South
bourbonism noun often capitalized

Examples of bourbon in a Sentence

I prefer bourbon to Scotch.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ask about the Rare Bottle Club, a rotating selection of vintage and limited-run spirits available by the two-ounce pour—think Prohibition-era gins, 1950s bourbons, and hard-to-find cognacs. Paul Rubio, AFAR Media, 23 June 2025 The other whiskeys are as follows: 11-year-old bourbon, 8-year-old rye whiskey, and two different 7-year-old bourbons. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 23 June 2025 Or swap out the peach schnapps for bourbon or light rum. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 20 June 2025 Drink specials to expect include a $16 Chip Shot, which mixes bourbon, bitters and brown sugar and the $16 Bogey Man, which blends bourbon, strawberry, lime juice, bitters and ginger beer. San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for bourbon

Word History

Etymology

(sense 1) after the lordship of Bourbon in central France, where the family originated; (sense 2) after French rose de Bourbon, after the Île Bourbon (now réunion), where the rose likely originated; (sense 3) probably after Bourbon County, Kentucky, or its pre-statehood predecessor, a county of Virginia that included much of northeastern Kentucky; (sense 4) after the association of the Bourbon dynasty with conservative royalist politics in France

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bourbon was in 1596

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bourbon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bourbon. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

Biographical Definition

Bourbon

biographical name

Bour·​bon ˈbu̇r-bən How to pronounce Bourbon (audio)
bu̇r-ˈbōⁿ
Charles de 1490–1527 Duc de Bourbon French general; constable of France

More from Merriam-Webster on bourbon

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!