cava
UK[ˈkɑːvə]US[ˈkɑːvə]
n
A type of Spanish sparkling wine, typically white or rosé, made using the same method as champagne.
Etymology
The word 'cava' is a direct borrowing from Catalan and Spanish, where it means 'cellar' or 'cave'. This term was adopted into English in the late 20th century as a protected designation of origin for sparkling wines produced primarily in the Catalonia region of Spain. The name logically derives from the traditional practice of aging these wines in underground cellars or caves. Thus, the modern English term for the wine retains the literal Spanish word for its place of storage and maturation, evolving from a general noun for an underground space to a specific trademark for a product associated with that space.
Analysis
This word is a loanword from Spanish and is not productively segmented using English morphemes. It functions as a simplex noun.
Examples
We celebrated with a bottle of crisp, dry cava.
Cava is often a more affordable alternative to French champagne.
The region's regulations stipulate that cava must be produced using the traditional method.