malmsey

malmsey [mahm-zee] ExamplesWord Origin noun

1. a strong, sweet wine with a strong flavor, originally made in Greece but now made mainly in Madeira.

Origin of malmsey 1325–75; Middle English malmesye Middle Low German ≪ Monemvasia Greek town where it was originally produced Examples from the Web for malmsey Historical Examples of malmsey

“We are glad to see thee, brother,” said he, holding out the flask of Malmsey.

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Howard Pyle

It must have been a very bad one, because he was killed by a butt of Malmsey.

New Treasure Seekers

E. (Edith) Nesbit

“Malmsey,” shouted Alice, no longer able to control herself.

Through the Outlooking Glass

Simeon Strunsky

The duke being willing to die a merry death, chose to be drowned in a butt of Malmsey.

Ebrietatis Encomium

Boniface Oinophilus

Not a guinea—though you should threaten to drown him, like his namesake, in a butt of malmsey—to save his life.

The Talk of the Town, Volume 2 (of 2)

James Payn

British Dictionary definitions for malmsey malmsey noun

1. a sweet Madeira wine

Word Origin for malmsey C15: from Medieval Latin Malmasia, corruption of Greek Monembasia, Greek port from which the wine was shipped Word Origin and History for malmsey n.

c.1400, type of strong, sweet white wine, from Provençal malmesie or Middle Dutch malemesye, both from Medieval Latin malmasia, from Medieval Greek Monembasia “Monemvasia,” a town in the southern Peloponnesus that was an important center of wine production in the Middle Ages, literally “only one entrance,” from monos “alone, only” (see mono-) + embasis “entering into,” from en- “in” + basis “a going, a stepping, a base” (see basis).