hard cider


noun

See under cider.

Origin of hard cider

An Americanism dating back to 1780–90

Definition for hard cider (2 of 2)

cider
[ sahy-der ]
/ ˈsaɪ dər /

noun

the juice pressed from apples (or formerly from some other fruit) used for drinking, either before fermentation (sweet cider) or after fermentation (hard cider), or for making applejack, vinegar, etc.
Also British, cy·der.

Origin of cider

1250–1300; Middle English sidre < Middle French < Old French si(s)dre < Late Latin sīcera strong drink < Septuagint Greek sī́kera < Hebrew shēkhār (Levit. 10:9); replacing Middle English sithere < Old French sidre

OTHER WORDS FROM cider

ci·der·ish, ci·der·like, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for hard cider

  • I wish you'd been here in the hard-cider and log-cabin times, and you'd a seen reason and philosophy, as you call it!

    The Chainbearer |J. Fenimore Cooper
  • Another proof of the fact was the barrel of hard-cider which lay under the cabin window.

    A Boy's Town |W. D. Howells
  • The log-cabin and hard-cider watchwords were born of a taunt, like the "Gueux" of the Netherlands.

  • "I saw old Ike Bradley go past here with a hard-cider jag that looped over till its aidges dragged on the ground," he explained.

British Dictionary definitions for hard cider (1 of 2)

cider

cyder

/ (ˈsaɪdə) /

noun

Also called (US): hard cider an alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of apples
Also called: sweet cider US and Canadian an unfermented drink made from apple juice

Word Origin for cider

C14: from Old French cisdre, via Medieval Latin, from Late Greek sikera strong drink, from Hebrew shēkhār

British Dictionary definitions for hard cider (2 of 2)

hard cider

noun

US and Canadian fermented apple juice Compare sweet cider