to vinify
- verb
- /ˈvɪnɪfaɪ/
- Specialized
- Winemakers carefully control the fermentation process to vinify the grape juice into fine wine.
Examples
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On the vine, Zinfandel produces uneven bunches and can be a bit tough to vinify, yet when produced with great care and solid winemaking, Zin can be something quite special.
Blog text (11) -
To create their signature blend, the winery must vinify the harvested grapes under precise conditions.
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After crushing the grapes, the next step is to vinify them to develop the wine's unique flavor.
Synonyms
To add alcohol to food or drink to make it alcoholic
How Complete
Surface Forms
Morphology
vinify = vin + ify
The suffix '-ify' clearly means 'make/cause to become', but the root 'vin' is a combining form for 'wine' that is not a standalone common English word, so the meaning is partly inferable but the base may be unfamiliar to learners.
Etymology
Vinify comes from the Latin root vin- meaning 'wine', the same root you see in wine and vine. So to vinify is to change grape juice into wine by fermentation.