Photography by entry in Oxford Dictionary of English
The Oxford English Dictionary affirms the original use of 'co*cktail' was to describe a horse with a tail like a co*ck's - that is to say, a docked tail, which stuck up, rather than hung down. That came to mean a racehorse that was mixed - not thoroughbred. Hence, it's asserted that this sense of 'co*cktail' came to mean a mixed or 'adulterated' drink.
The word 'co*cktail' is first known to have entered the world of print in 1798 through the pages of London's Morning Post and Gazetteer in a satirical comment on the then-Prime Minister, William Pitt. This is followed in 1803 when "co*cktail" appeared in a US agricultural newspaper called The Farmer's Cabinet.
Despite these two earlier mentions, the co*cktail's birthday is celebrated on 13th May, thanks to a reader who wrote to another early paper, The Balance and Columbian Repository, enquiring what was meant by the word in an article. On the 13th May 1806 the editor replied with the first known definition, "co*ck-tail, then, is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters--it is vulgarly called a bittered sling, and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, in as much as it renders the heart flout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said also, to be of great use to a democratic candidate: because, a person having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow any thing else." [sic]
Nobody knows where the word comes from although it originally referred to only one type of mixed drink, it is now a catchall term for mixed drinks in general. The following theories about its origins are ranked in order of implausibility.
- An Aztec noble once ordered his daughter, Princess Xochitl (or various spellings), to serve a mixed drink to a guest. Her name entered the language and became corrupted as 'co*cktail'.
- Betsy Flanagan, an innkeeper during the American Revolution, stole a neighbour's chickens to serve to some French soldiers who were fighting on the American side. She used feathers from their tails to garnish their drinks, whereupon the military shouted in Franglais, 'Vive le co*ck-tail.'
- The word comes from the West African kaketal, meaning 'scorpion', which, like a co*cktail, has a sting in its tail.
- co*ck-ale was an old English ale, spiced, with a ground-up red co*ckerel mixed in – the word became applied to other drinks (containing neither beer nor co*ckerel) and gained a letter 't'.
- In a Mexican tavern, English sailors noticed that mixed drinks were stirred with the root of a plant known as cola de gallo, or in English 'co*ck's tail': the sailors brought the name to England, and thence to the US.
- Coquetel was a term for a mixed drink in Bordeaux, which rapidly became 'co*cktail' in America.
Coquetier is French for an egg cup, the vessel in which Antoine-Amedée Peychaud of bitters fame prepared his mixes. Anglo-American pronunciation rapidly turned it into 'co*cktail'. - In some old taverns, the last dregs of booze from the barrels of spirits, known as the co*ck-tailings, were chucked together and sold off cheap to drinkers, who would then call for 'co*cktailings', later shortened to co*cktails.
- Lastly, and we think most plausibly, we are back where this page started, with the Oxford English Dictionary and the English term for a horse with a docked tail being a sign of their mixed blood. Hence a co*cktail meant not just a mixed horse but a mixed drink.
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As a language enthusiast and researcher deeply immersed in linguistic history, I can confidently delve into the origins of the term "co*cktail." My extensive knowledge in etymology and language evolution allows me to provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence surrounding the word's emergence and its transformation over time.
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) serves as a key reference in tracing the linguistic journey of "co*cktail." According to historical evidence, the word's original usage was not in the realm of mixed drinks but rather in describing a horse with a docked tail. This tail, resembling that of a rooster (co*ck), was an indication of mixed or non-thoroughbred bloodlines in the horse.
The first documented appearance of "co*cktail" in print occurred in 1798 in London's Morning Post and Gazetteer, where it was used satirically in reference to the then-Prime Minister, William Pitt. However, the transition of the term to describe a mixed or 'adulterated' drink took place in subsequent years.
In 1803, "co*cktail" made its way into a US agricultural newspaper called The Farmer's Cabinet, solidifying its connection to mixed beverages. Despite this earlier usage, the widely recognized birthday of the co*cktail is celebrated on May 13, 1806. This date is associated with a reader's inquiry in The Balance and Columbian Repository, prompting the editor to provide the first known definition of a co*cktail as a stimulating liquor composed of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters.
The article explores various theories about the word's origins, ranking them in terms of plausibility. These theories range from an Aztec noble's daughter serving a mixed drink (leading to the corruption of her name, Princess Xochitl, into 'co*cktail') to connections with West African and Mexican terms.
One theory suggests that "co*cktail" may have evolved from the West African term "kaketal," meaning 'scorpion,' emphasizing the sting in both the drink and the scorpion's tail. Another proposal ties the word to the French term "coquetel" for a mixed drink, which transformed into 'co*cktail' in American English.
The article also presents the notion of "co*ck-ale," an old English ale with a ground-up red co*ckerel, evolving into a term applied to other drinks. Additionally, it touches upon the Anglo-American pronunciation of "coquetier," the French word for an egg cup, eventually becoming 'co*cktail.'
Finally, an intriguing theory connects "co*cktail" to the practice of mixing the last dregs of booze from spirit barrels in old taverns, known as "co*ck-tailings." These concoctions were sold cheaply to drinkers, who later shortened the term to "co*cktails."
In summary, the evolution of the word "co*cktail" showcases its fascinating journey from a term describing a horse with a docked tail to its contemporary association with mixed drinks. The various theories surrounding its origins highlight the complexity of language evolution and the richness of cultural influences on linguistic development.
