# Origin of the term "cocktail" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 17, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-cocktail/340433 "2006-01-17T23:23:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shawndugay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@shawndugay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shawndugay)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-cocktail/340433/1 "2006-01-17T23:23:01Z")
What is the origin of the term “cocktail” for an alcoholic drink? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-cocktail/340433/2 "2006-01-17T23:24:29Z")
From [etymonline.com](http://etymonline.com): > [@](#): > > cocktail > first attested 1806; H.L. Mencken lists seven versions of its origin, perhaps the most persuasive is Fr. coquetier “egg-cup.” In New Orleans, c.1795, Antoine Amédée Peychaud, an apothecary (and inventor of Peychaud bitters) held Masonic social gatherings at his pharmacy, where he mixed brandy toddies with his own bitters and served them in an egg-cup. The drink took the name of the cup, in Eng. cocktay. Cocktail party first attested 1928. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-cocktail/340433/3 "2006-01-18T12:54:03Z")
Mencken’s etymologies appear as a footnote in his book **The American Language** , and an interesting read it is. Besides the one quoted above, he also lists: 1.) It comes from “cock bread ale”, shortened to “cock(t)ale”, a drink made for fighting cocks, t which bread was added. 2.) in 1777 Betsy Flanagan, a barmaid at a tavern in Dobbs’ Ferry, N.Y., garnished a drink with cock feathers and toasted the defeat of the British, saying “Vive le cock tail!” I don’t recall him having as many as seven, but I could easily be wrong. I know I’ve heard others elsewhere. Here’s wiki’s take on it: > **[Cocktail](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktail)** > > A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely across regions of the world, and many websites publish both original recipes and their own interpretations of older and more famous cocktails. > The origins of the word cocktail have been debated. The first written mention of cocktail as a beverage appeared in The Farmers Cabine... Here’s a reproduction of the first known mention from the **Museum of the American Cocktail** (I kid you not): [http://www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/museum/TheBalance.html](http://www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/museum/TheBalance.html) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-cocktail/340433/4 "2006-01-18T12:58:10Z")
I ask women I meet if they like cocktails and if they do I tell them a few. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-cocktail/340433/5 "2006-01-18T14:28:56Z")
This Staff Report by Gaudere may be of interest: What’s the origin of “cocktail”? ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-cocktail/340433/6 "2006-01-18T14:46:37Z")
My mother was raised by very strict Southern Baptists. On one of her first dates (around 1949 or so) her date asked if she would care for a shrimp cocktail. She replied “No, thank you. I don’t drink.”. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-cocktail/340433/7 "2006-01-18T15:09:57Z")
Here is the [Word Detective’s](http://word-detective.com/back-x.html#cocktail) entry.