grappa
UK[ˈɡræpə]US[ˈɡrɑːpə]
n
a strong alcoholic spirit made in Italy from the skins and other remains of grapes after they have been pressed to make wine
Etymology
the word 'grappa' is a direct loan from italian, entering english in the late 20th century. the italian term itself derives from the regional word 'grappa', meaning 'grape stalk', which can be traced back to the proto-germanic 'krappōn-', meaning 'hook' or 'crooked branch', likely referring to the hooked shape of a grapevine tendril or stalk. this etymological journey from a term for a hooked plant part to the name of a distilled spirit illustrates how the raw material—the leftover grape pomace including stalks—defines the final product. the modern english usage retains the specific cultural and geographical association with italy.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from italian. it does not contain separable morphemes within its english spelling.
Examples
after dinner, he offered us a glass of homemade grappa.
grappa is traditionally served as a digestif.
the distillery uses pomace from local vineyards to produce its grappa.