metheglin

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

[edit]

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Welsh meddyglyn, from meddyg (doctor, healer) (from Latin medicus) + llyn (liquor) (cognate with Irish lionn and Gaelic leann).

Pronunciation

[edit]
  • IPA(key): /mɪˈθɛɡlɪn/, /ˈmɛθəɡlɪn/, /mɛˈθɛɡlɪn/

Noun

[edit]

metheglin (countable and uncountable, plural metheglins)

  1. A spiced mead, originally from Wales.
    • 1985 June 6, “Opinion: Topics: Lean and Rich History: Ancient Eatings”, in New York Times[1], retrieved 2023-12-15, Section A, page A26:
      A more practical critic notes that paleolithic man had a very sweet tooth, which he sated with honey. Worse, he moonshined the honey into metheglin, an alcoholic brew. Booze and junk food, in other words, are hardly modern inventions.
    • 1988, Anthony Burgess, Any Old Iron:
      But Gwen behind the bar said: ‘Try this, mead it is called.’ Reg admired the pure long high front vowel. Sack mead and sack metheglin. A scholarly man, tall and in leggings, his face a map of purple rivery veins, said: ‘Well, it’s the Welsh national drink, or was. Should properly be meddyglyn, liquor being llyn and meddyg from medicus, the healer'.
    • 2001, David Alan Woolsey, Libations of the Eighteenth Century: A Concise Manual for the Brewing of Authentic Beverages from the Colonial Era of America, and of Times Past:
      In Digbie's era metah, metheglin, and melomel were probably considered synonyms. [] "Melomel" today usually means a mead flavored with any fruit juice other than apples or pears. Peaches, cherries, blackberries, or plumbs[sic] are some good, historic choices.

Anagrams

[edit]