Where does “cocktail” come from?

cocktail (Italian) comes from English cocktail, from English cock, from Middle English cok, from Old English cōc, from Vulgar Latin cocus, from Latin coquus, from Latin coquō, from English Cook.

cocktail (Italian): cocktail; cocktail party

Definitions

  1. cocktail; cocktail party

Ancestry of “cocktail”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcocktailA mixed alcoholic beverage; A mixture of other...
2EnglishcockA male bird, "especially:"; A valve or tap for...
3Middle Englishcokrooster, cock; rooster crest, comb; heraldic...
4Old Englishcōca cook
5Vulgar Latincocus
6LatincoquusA cook; person who makes food
7Latincoquōto cook; prepare food
8EnglishCookA placename
9Germankochento cook, to prepare food; to boil; to be stirred...
10Middle High Germankochento cook
11Old High Germankohhōnto cook
12Proto-Germanickukōnąto cook
13Latincoqueresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
14Proto-Italickʷekʷōto cook
15Proto-Indo-Europeanpékʷetito be cooking; to ripen
16Proto-Indo-Europeanpekʷ-to cook; to ripen
17Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃-ép-kʷ-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃-ép-kʷ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pekʷ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European pékʷeti