aqua vitae

See also: aqua vitæ

English

Alternative forms

• aqua vitæ

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

• IPA^(key): /ˌeɪkwə ˈvaɪti/, /ˌækwə ˈviːteɪ/

Noun

aqua vitae (countable and uncountable, plural aquae vitae)

1. (alchemy) An aqueous solution of alcohol typically prepared by distilling wine.
2. (organic chemistry, archaic) A concentrated aqueous solution of ethanol.
3. (archaic) Synonym of liquor, particularly cognac and other French brandy.
   • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare,  […] [T]he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. […] (First Quarto), London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for Arthur Ihonson, […], published 1602, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     Ile ſooner truſt an Iriſhman vvith my
     Aquauita bottle, Sir Hu our parſon vvith my cheeſe,
     A theefe to vvalk my ambling gelding, thẽ my vvife
     VVith her ſelfe […]

Latin

Etymology

From aqua (“water”) + vītae (“of life”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈa.kʷa ˈu̯iː.tae̯/, [ˈäkʷä ˈu̯iːt̪äe̯]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈa.kwa ˈvi.te/, [ˈäːkwä ˈviːt̪e]

Noun

aqua vītae f sg (genitive aquae vītae); first declension

1. (Medieval Latin) liquor, distilled alcohol

   Synonym: spiritus vini (“spirit of wine”)

Declension

First-declension noun with an indeclinable portion, singular only.

Case	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
  • → English: akvavit, aquavit
• → 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)
  • → Belarusian: акаві́та (akavíta)
  • → Lithuanian: akavità
  • → Ukrainian: окови́та (okovýta)
• →? 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)