aqua vitae
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See also: aqua vitæ
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Medieval Latin aqua vītae directly and via Middle English aqua vite and French eau-de-vie, from aqua (“water”) and vītae (“of life”). Doublet of aquavit and akvavit. Compare eau de vie, whisky, whiskey, and water of life from the same source.
Pronunciation
Noun
aqua vitae (countable and uncountable, plural aquae vitae)
- (alchemy) An aqueous solution of alcohol typically prepared by distilling wine.
- (organic chemistry, archaic) A concentrated aqueous solution of ethanol.
- (archaic) Synonym of liquor, particularly cognac and other French brandy.
- c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. (First Quarto), London: T C for Arthur Ihonson, , published 1602, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
Latin
Etymology
From aqua (“water”) + vītae (“of life”).
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /ˈa.kʷa ˈu̯iː.tae̯/,
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈa.kwa ˈvi.te/,
Noun
aqua vītae f sg (genitive aquae vītae); first declension
- (Medieval Latin) liquor, distilled alcohol
- Synonym: spiritus vini (“spirit of wine”)
Declension
First-declension noun with an indeclinable portion, singular only.
| singular | |
|---|---|
| nominative | aqua vītae |
| genitive | aquae vītae |
| dative | aquae vītae |
| accusative | aquam vītae |
| ablative | aquā vītae |
| vocative | aqua vītae |
Descendants
Descendants
- > Romanian: apă vie (inherited)
- → Danish: akvavit
- → French: eau-de-vie (calque)
- → English: eau de vie
- → German: Aquavit
- → Icelandic: ákavíti
- → Italian: acquavite
- → Middle English: aqua vite
- > English: aqua vitae, aqua vitæ (inherited)
- → Middle Irish: uisce betha (calque)
- > Irish: uisce beatha (inherited)
- > Scottish Gaelic: uisge-beatha (inherited)
- → English: usquebaugh, whiskey
- → Scots: usquebae, whisky
- → Polish: akwawita
- → Polish: okowita (archaic)
- →? Romanian: apă vieții (calque)
References
- aqua in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)