Margarita

How to spell margarita

9 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce margarita

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does margarita mean?

1. nounA cocktail made with tequila, lime juice, and an orange liqueur, often served with a salted rim.

Margarita in a sentence

• She ordered a frozen margarita with extra lime at the bar.

• The recipe for a classic margarita calls for tequila, triple sec, and fresh lime.

Where does margarita come from?

Language of origin: Spanish

Margarita is the Spanish word for 'daisy', and it descends from the Latin margarita, which literally meant 'pearl'. The Latin term was itself borrowed from the Greek margaritēs, also meaning 'pearl', a word that may ultimately trace back to an eastern source connected with the gem trade. Over time the same root gave rise to the personal name Margaret and its many cousins across Europe, all carrying that sense of 'pearl'. The cocktail name appeared in the mid twentieth century, most likely as the Spanish given name or the flower name attached to the tequila and lime drink, though the exact inventor is disputed. The spelling trap lies in the single consonants and the unstressed vowels: writers often want to double a letter or swap the 'a' for an 'e', confusing it with the Italian pizza 'margherita'.

How the word is built

• margarita (Spanish for 'daisy', from Latin margarita 'pearl')