English
vodka
Vodka comes from Russian вода́ ‘water’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *wed-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wed-‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wódr̥‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Balto-Slavicc. 2000–500 BCE*wandō‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Slavicc. 400–900 CE*voda‘water’reconstructed
- Old East Slavicmodernводаvoda‘water’
- Russianmodernвода́vodá‘water’
- Russian, derivedmodernво́дкаvódka
- Englishearliest quotation 1932vodka
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wed-‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wódr̥‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Balto-Slavicc. 2000–500 BCE*wandō‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Slavicc. 400–900 CE*voda‘water’reconstructed
- Old East Slavicmodernводаvoda‘water’
- Russianmodernвода́vodá‘water’
- Russian, derivedmodernво́дкаvódka
- Englishearliest quotation 1932vodka
Earliest quotation: 1932, Maurice Baring: “Eurydice pointed to the cupboard, and sat down on…”
The story
The archaic Russian name for vodka was хле́бное вино́ (xlébnoje vinó, “grain wine”); V. Pokhlyobkin's research suggests the present name derived from expressions concerning the dilution of the initial pure distilled spirit such as "vodka of grain wine".
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wed- ‘water’
wet, wash, und, abundance, surround, abundant, redundant, otter, vitriol, vitreous, anhydrous, inundate, undine, 43 more
through Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ ‘water’
Today it means
noun A clear distilled alcoholic liquor made from grain mash.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wed- / vodka