Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A sweet cordial flavored with fruit kernels or almonds.
- noun A biscuit flavored with ratafia.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A flavoring essence of which the principal ingredient is benzoic aldehyde or oil of bitter almonds.
- noun A sweet, cordial flavored with fruits: sometimes limited to those the flavor of which is obtained from black currants, bitter almonds, or peach- and cherry-kernels.
- noun A kind of fancy cake or biscuit.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A spirituous liquor flavored with the kernels of cherries, apricots, peaches, or other fruit, spiced, and sweetened with sugar; -- a term applied to the liqueurs called
noyau ,curaçao , etc.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
liqueur orcordial flavored withpeach orcherry kernels, bitteralmonds , or otherfruits .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun macaroon flavored with ratafia liqueur
- noun sweet liqueur made from wine and brandy flavored with plum or peach or apricot kernels and bitter almonds
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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For the finale, a traditional liqueur called ratafia is steeping basically fruit and spices soaked in brandy for a few weeks, and although declaring herself "not crafty," Curtis is trying gamely to hand-paint teacups.
The Seattle Times 2012
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The stronger or less diluted the spirit is taken, the sooner it seems to destroy, as in dram-drinkers; but still sooner, when kernels of apricots, or bitter almonds, or laurel-leaf, are infused in the spirit, which is termed ratafia; as then two poisons are swallowed at the same time.
Zoonomia, Vol. II Or, the Laws of Organic Life Erasmus Darwin 1766
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A fire was burning in the grate to warm the salon, and ratafia biscuits and a flask of sherry were arrayed on a side table.
The Dressmaker Posie Graeme-Evans 2010
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Then came trifle, ratafia biscuits, and a baked custard dusted with cinnamon, and three types of cheeses and grapes to finish.
The Dressmaker Posie Graeme-Evans 2010
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Her hand tightened about her glass of ratafia as their gazes locked.
The Laird Who Loved Me Karen Hawkins 2009
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The ladies made themselves at home in the blue sitting room to talk, sip ratafia, and await the arrival of the gentlemen.
The Laird Who Loved Me Karen Hawkins 2009
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Right now, Dervishton and Falkland were gallantly arguing over who should fetch her a new glass of ratafia.
The Laird Who Loved Me Karen Hawkins 2009
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Right now, Dervishton and Falkland were gallantly arguing over who should fetch her a new glass of ratafia.
The Laird Who Loved Me Karen Hawkins 2009
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Her hand tightened about her glass of ratafia as their gazes locked.
The Laird Who Loved Me Karen Hawkins 2009
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The ladies made themselves at home in the blue sitting room to talk, sip ratafia, and await the arrival of the gentlemen.
The Laird Who Loved Me Karen Hawkins 2009
chained_bear commented on the word ratafia
"...they took their coffee and ratafia biscuits (the sea-going equivalent of petits fours) in the great cabin..."
--P. O'Brian, The Yellow Admiral, 126
March 19, 2008
hernesheir commented on the word ratafia
Larousse Gastronomique lists ratafia as a term for quince liqueur or quince water.
February 18, 2010
hernesheir commented on the word ratafia
Generally, a liqueur obtained without distilling, by simple infusion.
February 18, 2010