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vodka martini

vodka martini

9 3.2
A cocktail like a martini that uses vodka instead of gin
  • noun
  • /ˈvɒdkə mɑːrˈtiːni/
translation icon : vodka martini
  • Give me a vodka martini.
  • a dry vodka martini
  • vodka martini with an olive
  • a double vodka martini

Yeah, vodka martinis are terrible and aren't cocktails.

Examples

Synonyms

martini
vsvodka martini
115 3.4

A cold drink made with gin or vodka and dry vermouth, served with an olive

uses vodka instead of the usual gin

How Strong

spirit
55 2.5
blended whiskey
  • US
1 3.8
vodka martini
9 3.2
cocktail
288 2.8
spritzer
11 6.1

Surface Forms

vodka martini singular

Morphology

vodka + martini

The noun phrase is directly compositional: 'vodka' specifies the type of 'martini' (a cocktail), so a B1 learner who knows both words will infer it is a martini made with vodka rather than the typical gin. This simple noun–noun modification pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows standard semantic composition, making the meaning immediately derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Vodka martini comes from making a martini with vodka instead of gin; the simple picture is a classic martini recipe but with vodka as the main spirit. As vodka became popular for its cleaner taste, the name came to mean 'a martini made with vodka'.