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acquavite
/ak.kwaˈviː.te/
brandy
Mi piace bere un bicchiere di acquavite dopo cena.
I like to drink a glass of brandy after dinner.
neutral
A strong alcoholic spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice.
L'acquavite di uva è molto diffusa in Italia.
Grape brandy is very common in Italy.
Often used in Italy to refer to fruit-based spirits like grappa or other regional varieties.
Collocations
Pro Tip
Regional Varieties
In Italy, different regions produce their own varieties of acquavite, such as 'grappa' in the north and 'limoncello' (a lemon liqueur) in the south. These are often enjoyed as digestivi.
Gold Rule
Distillation Process
Acquavite is produced through distillation, which concentrates the alcohol content of fermented fruit juice. The term does not refer to fermented beverages like wine or cider.
Word Origin
From Italian 'acqua' (water) + 'vite' (from Latin 'vitis', meaning vine). Literally 'water of the vine', referring to the distillation process that separates alcohol from fermented grape juice.
Usage Notes
Acquavite is a generic term in Italian for fruit-based spirits, while 'grappa' specifically refers to a type of acquavite made from grape pomace. In English, 'brandy' is the closest equivalent, though it typically refers to spirits distilled from wine.
Word Breakdown
acqua
water
rootvite
vine (from Latin 'vitis')
rootDizionario Italiano-Inglese