beer Meaning & Definition
What Does Beer Mean?
As a noun, beer means An alcoholic drink fermented from starch material, commonly barley malt; often with hops or some other substance (like gruit) to impart a bitter flavor. It is also used to mean A fermented extract of the roots and other parts of various plants, as spruce, ginger, sassafras, etc. As a verb, it means To give beer to (someone).
Beer in Brief
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɪə̯/ |
| Synonyms | suds |
| Plural | beers |
| Verb forms | beers, beering, beered |
Beer Definition (Noun)
- An alcoholic drink fermented from starch material, commonly barley malt; often with hops or some other substance (like gruit) to impart a bitter flavor.
Beer is brewed all over the world.
- A fermented extract of the roots and other parts of various plants, as spruce, ginger, sassafras, etc.
- A solution produced by steeping plant materials in water or another fluid.
- A glass, bottle, or can of any of the above beverages.
I bought a few beers from the shop for the party.
- A variety of the above beverages.
Pilsner is one of the most commonly served beers in Europe.
Beer as a Verb
- To give beer to (someone).
- To drink beer.
Noun
- One who is or exists.
Synonyms of Beer
Beer synonyms and antonyms →Beer in a Sentence
Beer is brewed all over the world.
I bought a few beers from the shop for the party.
Can I buy you a beer?
I'd like two beers and a glass of white wine.
Pilsner is one of the most commonly served beers in Europe.
I haven't tried this beer before.
I had two beers yesterday at the restaurant.
Word Forms & Grammar
beer (countable and uncountable, plural beers)
beer (third-person singular simple present beers, present participle beering, simple past and past participle beered)
beer (plural beers)
Words That Rhyme With Beer
Origin of Beer
Origin 1: From Middle English ber, bere, from Old English bēor (“beer”) (Oxford OED notes: "rare, except in poetry"), from Proto-West Germanic *beuʀ, from Proto-Germanic *beuzą (“beer”) (putatively from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewsóm), meaning “brewer's yeast”.
Origin 2: However, also see the "beer" entry on EtymOnline (q.v.), which links a connection to monastic Vulgar Latin *biber (“a drink, beverage”), from Latin bibere (“to drink”). Samuel Johnson in his famous 18th-century A Dictionary of the English Language guessed it was from (unattested) Welsh *bîr; he distinguished it in his time from ale — the ancient usual word — by beer being older-aged and/or smaller.
Origin 3: Cognate with Saterland Frisian Bjoor (“beer”), West Frisian bier (“beer”), Dutch bier (“beer”), German Low German Beer (“beer”), German Bier (“beer”), dialectal Swedish bjor, bör (“beer”), Norwegian Nynorsk bjor (“beer”), Faroese bjór (“beer”), Icelandic bjór (“beer”).
Origin 4: From Middle English beere, equivalent to be + -er.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beer
Is beer a noun or a verb?
Beer is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for beer?
Close synonyms of beer are suds. See the full list of beer synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of beer?
The plural of beer is beers.
What is the past tense of beer?
The past tense of beer is beered. The present participle is beering.