# Cocktails, Why are are they called cocktails?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocktails-why-are-are-they-called-cocktails/41799>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 19, 2000, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocktails-why-are-are-they-called-cocktails/41799 "2000-11-19T02:12:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LittleLilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e9a140/32.png) [@LittleLilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LittleLilly)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocktails-why-are-are-they-called-cocktails/41799/1 "2000-11-19T02:12:05Z")

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How did the term cocktail originate?

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**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocktails-why-are-are-they-called-cocktails/41799/2 "2000-11-19T02:22:41Z")

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Welcome to the Straight Dope. The answer to your question is contained in the copius archives of Cecil’s columns and Staff Reports (formerly called Mailbag items).

Please do a search and tell us what comes up.

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**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocktails-why-are-are-they-called-cocktails/41799/3 "2000-11-19T02:25:17Z")

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Actually, never mind that. The answer is indeed in the archives, but the link title is misleading. Gotta let the techies know about that.

Here you go: [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcocktail.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcocktail.html)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LittleLilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e9a140/32.png) [@LittleLilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LittleLilly)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocktails-why-are-are-they-called-cocktails/41799/4 "2000-11-19T02:40:40Z")

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Thanx, the question oringinated between a friend and myself a few weeks ago and was driving me nuts.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2000, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocktails-why-are-are-they-called-cocktails/41799/5 "2000-11-19T03:31:10Z")

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To amplify _Gaudere’s_ explanation–  
The 1806 cite is from _The Balance_ and says “Cock tail, then, is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters–it is vulgarly called bittered sling…it is said, also, to be of great use to a democratic candidate: because, a person having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow any thing else.”

Had to add that, in light of the recent election. Even though I am a liberal democrat.

Notice the Cock is capitalized, and a separate word from “tail”