Word origin.........?

Question

cocktail? When and how did the word evolve?

Answer 1

The Origin of the Word "Cocktail"

The origin of the cocktail is a contested story whose truth may never fully come to light. For centuries, all over the western world, people have been experimenting with mixing drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The origin of the name "cocktail" itself is not certain. Some of the more common (and amusing!) explanations are…

Answer 2

Cocktail is a mix of different alcoholic beverages. The word started to be used in the speak easy during the prohibition years, to disguise the taste of the bad liquors they used to make alcoholic beverages.

Answer 3

There are various other explanations that appear from time to time, but none are well supported by evidence. Perhaps the most commonly told one is that it is from the French coquetier, or egg-cup. According to this story, the cocktail was invented in New Orleans, circa 1795, by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, an apothecary from Santo Domingo. Peychaud, who is famous as the inventor Peychaud bitters, held social gatherings for fellow Masons at his pharmacy at 437 rue Royale. He would serve brandy toddies to which he would add his own mixture of bitters and would serve in an egg-cup. The drink acquired the name of the cup, but English speaking guests would call it a cocktay, which eventually became the cocktail. The specificity of the details, Peychaud's renown as a mixologist and the date provide circumstantial credence to this explanation, but there is no direct evidence to support it.

Answer 4

The etymology *can* be found in the wiki....
There are 9 different ones:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktail#Etymology

Answer 5

without being too rude - i made up my own definition a long time ago - - 'cause after you drink them you get **** in ur tail.
hope nobody gets offended

Answer 6

Great Question, Wikapedia doesn't know.