noun Uncommon

mead

meed

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Mead (noun) means an alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey with water, sometimes flavoured with fruit or spices. Example: “The wedding feast was toasted with tankards of homemade mead.”

noun

An alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey with water, sometimes flavoured with fruit or spices.

"The wedding feast was toasted with tankards of homemade mead."

"Modern mead makers often age their honey wine in oak barrels like a fine wine."

A meadow (now a mostly literary or old-fashioned use).

"The old poem describes cattle grazing on the wide green mead."

How to use mead

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHoney wine — one of the oldest alcoholic drinks in the world, made by fermenting honey instead of grapes or grain.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "meadow" (a field) — "mead" meaning field is a rare, old-fashioned usage, while "mead" the drink is the sense people use today.

Easily confused with

meadow → meed →

Common pairings

a mug of mead brew mead honey mead

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: meads

Test yourself on “mead” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The wedding feast was toasted with tankards of homemade _____.

Etymology

From Old English medu, going back to a very old Indo-European word for honey or honey-wine — the same root that gives us "methyl" through Greek méthu.

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for mead

head read lead dead bead bread plead tread ahead dread knead stead

See all rhymes for mead →

Frequently asked questions

What does “mead” mean?

The word “mead” means an alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey with water, sometimes flavoured with fruit or spices. In plain terms, honey wine — one of the oldest alcoholic drinks in the world, made by fermenting honey instead of grapes or grain.

How do you pronounce “mead”?

“Mead” is pronounced meed (/miːd/ in IPA).

How do you use “mead” in a sentence?

Here is “mead” used in a sentence: “The wedding feast was toasted with tankards of homemade mead.”

What part of speech is “mead”?

“Mead” is a noun.

Where does the word “mead” come from?

The word “mead” comes from Old English. From Old English medu, going back to a very old Indo-European word for honey or honey-wine — the same root that gives us "methyl" through Greek méthu.

Is “mead” a common word?

“Mead” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “mead” have?

“Mead” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey with water, sometimes flavoured with fruit or spices.