aguardiente
UK[ˌaɡwɑːdɪˈɛnteɪ]US[ˌɑːɡwɑːrdiˈenteɪ]
n
a strong alcoholic spirit, especially a type of brandy, distilled from grapes or other fruits and produced in spain and latin america.
n
any of various strong, often unaged, distilled spirits made from local raw materials in latin american countries.
Etymology
the english term 'aguardiente' is borrowed directly from spanish, where it is a compound word formed from 'agua' (meaning "water") and 'ardiente' (meaning "burning" or "fiery"). this literal spanish construction, "burning water," vividly describes the distilled spirit's fiery nature. the spanish word itself has latin roots: 'aqua' for "water" and 'ardens' (from 'ardere', "to burn") for "burning." the term entered english through contact with spanish and latin american cultures, specifically referring to the strong, often clear spirits produced in these regions. it retains its original descriptive power, linking the basic substance (water-like liquid) with its defining property (a burning sensation).
Analysis
this word is a direct loanword from spanish. it is not segmented into separate english morphemes as it functions as a single lexical unit in english usage.
Examples
after dinner, he offered me a glass of smooth aguardiente from chile.
the traditional recipe for colombian aguardiente is flavored with anise.
in some regions, aguardiente is the base spirit for many local cocktails.