cava

noun

ca·​va ˈkä-və 

variants or Cava

plural cavas or Cavas

: a sparkling wine produced in Catalonia

Offer one bubbly, be it Cava, Champagne or Prosecco …

—Mike DeSimone et al.

Spanish cava makers are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the bubbly this year …

—Al Goodman

Examples of cava in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On deck, the cava is flowing and guests are acclimatizing to the heat and waves. —Alexandra Pereira, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024

Made of the traditional Catalan cava blend of Xarel.lo (or Pansa Blanca, in this case), Macabeu and Parellada, Mirgin is a cava with fine bubbles and a pale yellow color with green hues. —Isabelle Kliger, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

Wines by glass are $10 each and include Campo Viejo Brut cava, Rivarey Rioja Tempranillo rose, Paco & Lola Albariño white and Chaxto Rioja, each for $10. —Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2024

Spritzes at Leven Deli Co. Proving spritzes have staying power beyond Labor Day, Leven Deli Co. in Denver’s Golden Triangle neighborhood serves an autumnal Pumpkin Spritz that’s made with a bubbly cava. —Brittany Anas, The Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Catalan, short for vi de cava, literally, "wine from (a) cave" (referring to the vaults where the wine was stored for secondary fermentation)

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cava

• superior vena cava
• vena cava

Medical Definition

cava

1 of 2 noun

ca·​va ˈkäv-ə  ˈkā-və 

plural cavae ˈkäv-ˌē  -ˌī; ˈkā-ˌvē 

: vena cava

caval

-vəl 

adjective

cava

2 of 2

plural of cavum