ratafia

Borrowed from Creole French ratafia, from the Latin phrase rata fiat (conventio) (“the deal is made”), a drinking toast expression to celebrate a deal or an agreement. Or, sharing an Arabic origin with arak.

• IPA^(key): /ˌɹætəˈfiːə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːə

ratafia (countable and uncountable, plural ratafias)

1. A liqueur or cordial flavored with peach or cherry kernels, bitter almonds, or other fruits.

   Hyponym: amaretto

   • 1839, William Makepeace Thackeray, Catherine: A Story‎^[1]:

     “Stop that there infernal screeching!” said a couple of ladies, who were sipping ratafia in company with two pretty fellows.

   • 2007 August 29, Pete Wells, “Bottling the Bounty of the Season”, in New York Times‎^[2]:

     Steeped cucumber ratafia with Pimm's and Sprite is garnished with a squash blossom at T'afia in Houston.

2. (countable) A kind of biscuit made with ratafia essence and almond or apricot kernels.

   Synonym: ratafia biscuit

   • 1864, George Eliot, chapter II, in Brother Jacob‎^[3]:

     Mrs. Chaloner ordered wine-biscuits and olives, and gave Mr. Freely to understand that she should find his shop a great convenience. So did the doctor’s wife, and so did Mrs. Gate, at the large carding-mill, who, having high connexions frequently visiting her, might be expected to have a large consumption of ratafias and macaroons.

• James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Ratafia”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC.

• ratafia on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Ratafia in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Borrowed from French ratafia.

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [rə.təˈfi.ə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ra.taˈfi.a]

ratafia f (plural ratafies)

1. ratafia

• “ratafia” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
• “ratafia”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

• IPA^(key): /ʁa.ta.fja/

• Audio:

  (file)

ratafia m (plural ratafias)

1. ratafia
   • 1915 [1906], Frédéric Mistral, Mes Origines‎^[4]:

     Monsieur Aubanel, cria le curé de Méthamis, libraire et imprimeur de notre Saint Père le Pape! Jacomone, Jacomone! apporte vite les petits verres, que nous buvions une goutte de ratafia de Goult à la santé de l’Almanach provençal et des félibres!

     "Mr Aubanel," cried the parish priest of Méthamis, "bookseller and printer of our Holy Father the Pope! Jacomone, Jacomone! Bring the small glasses quickly; let us drink a drop of ratafia from Goult [a commune in the Vaucluse department] to the health of the Provençal Almanac and the félibres [members of a fellowship promoting the literature and culture of Provence]!"

• “ratafia”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Borrowed from French ratafia.

• Hyphenation: ra‧ta‧fi‧a

ratafia f (plural ratafias)

1. ratafia

• “ratafia”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025