cocktail

1 of 3

noun (1)

cock·​tail ˈkäk-ˌtāl 

1

a

: a usually iced drink of wine or distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients

b

: something resembling or suggesting such a drink as being a mixture of often diverse elements or ingredients

a cocktail of remembered incidents and pure imagination

—Charlotte Low

a cocktail of herbicides

c

: a mixture of agents usually in solution that is taken or used especially for medical treatment or diagnosis

2

: an appetizer served as a first course at a meal

cocktail

2 of 3

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or set aside for cocktails

a cocktail hour

2

: designed for semiformal wear

a cocktail dress

cocktail

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a horse with its tail docked

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• admixture
• alloy
• amalgam
• amalgamation
• blend
• combination
• composite
• compound
• conflation
• emulsion
• fusion
• intermixture
• meld
• mix
• mixture
• synthesis

Examples of cocktail in a Sentence

Noun (1)

an autopsy found a lethal cocktail of banned substances in the actor's body

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Now to the next part of the unsavory cocktail, the government corruption issues inherent in having these two men helm this project. —Lisa Gilbert and Robert Weissman, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024

Served with cocktail and tartar sauces, two family-style sides and eight Cheddar Bay Biscuits. —Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 9 Dec. 2024

On the main floor, enjoy some live jazz or folk music at the bar with oysters and cocktails. —Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Dec. 2024

Part of A Very San José Holiday celebration, this cocktail is being served at LB Steak, Meso Mediterranean and Left Bank Brasserie in Santana Row, and at Rollati Ristorante in downtown San Jose. —Laura Ness, The Mercury News, 8 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably from cock entry 1 + tail

Noun (2)

cock entry 1 + tail

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1852, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1781, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cocktail

• Americano cocktail
• cocktail dress
• cocktail glass
• cocktail hour
• cocktail lounge
• cocktail party
• cocktail sauce
• cocktail table
• house cocktail
• Molotov cocktail
• Shirley Temple cocktail

Kids Definition

cocktail

noun

cock·​tail

ˈkäk-ˌtāl

1

: an iced drink of distilled liquor mixed with flavoring ingredients

2

: an appetizer (as tomato juice) served as a first course at a meal

Medical Definition

cocktail

noun

cock·​tail ˈkäk-ˌtāl 

: a mixture of agents usually in solution that is taken or used especially for medical treatment or diagnosis

a potent cocktail of antiretroviral drugs

—Zia Jaffrey

chemotherapy cocktails to treat cancer

—J. L. Swerdlow