beer
/bɪər/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*beuzą — beverage, drink
Overview
Meaning Now
- An alcoholic drink made by brewing and fermentation from cereals, typically malted barley, and flavoured with hops.
Literal older meaning
a drink, a beverage
Language path
Proto-Germanic → West Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
beor
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The term 'beer' originally referred to ale-like drinks before the widespread introduction of hops in the 14th and 15th centuries. Throughout the Middle Ages, beer was a staple of the European diet, providing essential calories and a safer alternative to potentially contaminated water.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*beuzą
“a beverage”
Possibly derived from the root for 'to brew' or 'to swell'
- Old English
beor
“a fermented alcoholic drink made from grain”
- Middle English
bere
“alcoholic beverage flavoured with hops”
Hops were introduced to beer brewing during this period
- Modern English
beer
“standard term for malt-based fermented beverage”
Connections
Word parts
beer
root
fermented malt beverage
Related across languages
German
Bier
beer
Dutch
bier
beer
Explore next
Related to beer
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.