aqua vitae
See also: aqua vitæ
English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
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 edit
Noun edit
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, […] [T]he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. […] (First Quarto), London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for Arthur Ihonson, […], published 1602, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
Latin edit
Etymology edit
From aqua (“water”) + vītae (“of life”).
Pronunciation edit
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈa.kʷa ˈu̯iː.tae̯/, [ˈäkʷä ˈu̯iːt̪äe̯]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈa.kwa ˈvi.te/, [ˈäːkwä ˈviːt̪e]
Noun edit
aqua vītae f sg (genitive aquae vītae); first declension
- (Medieval Latin) liquor, distilled alcohol
- Synonym: spiritus vini (“spirit of wine”)
Declension edit
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 edit
Descendants
- Inherited:
- Romanian: apă vie
- Borrowed or calqued:
- → Danish: akvavit
- → French: eau-de-vie (calque)
- → English: eau de vie
- → German: Aquavit
- → Icelandic: ákavíti
- → Italian: acquavite
- → Middle English: aqua vite
- English: aqua vitae, water of life
- → Old Irish: (calque)
- Irish: uisce beatha, Irish: beathuisce
- → English: usquebaugh, whiskey
- Scottish Gaelic: uisge-beatha
- Irish: uisce beatha, Irish: beathuisce
- → Polish: akwawita (archaic), okowita
- →? Romanian: apă vieții (calque)
- → Swedish: akvavit (calque)
References edit
- 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)