sherbet
/ˈʃɝ.bət/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.50 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A dessert of frozen fruit juice with a dairy product such as milk added; a sorbet with dairy ingredients.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
An effervescent powder made of bicarbonate of soda, sugar and flavourings, intended to be eaten alone or mixed with water to make a drink.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A traditional West and South Asian sweet drink prepared from fruits or flower petals.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
An alcoholic drink, especially beer.
Australian usage; British usage; Countable; Slang; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Fay Li clicks her fingers, and the dessert trolley is already on its way. “Now, the lemon-and-melon sherbet, very low in calories, it cleanses the palate, ideal before coffee. [...]”"
- "Directly they were trotted off in their little pea-green and gilt carriage, guardian negress and all, I went into the shop, about which I had all this time been loafingly prowling, and called, clapping my hands, for some violet sherbet, […]"
- "Tea is becoming a favourite drink in Turkey, not instead of coffee, but of the sherbet or cool drinks that are handed to guests; it comes generally from Russia, and although a trifle dear on account of the carriage, is extremely good, when properly made."
- "There were times we regretted The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces, And the silken girls bringing sherbet."
- "The beverages of the Turks were an interesting exception to their reputation for simple foods. While many writers mentioned the Turkish penchant for drinking “cleere water,” in light of the prohibitions against alcohol (although some writers, usually those who were more negatively inclined against the Turks, maintained that they were drunkards in secret), virtually all authors discussed the nonalcoholic drinks made by the Turks to replace alcohol, not only coffee, but also sweet refined drinks such as sherbet, a cold drink that usually included sugar, water, and a fruity or flowery flavoring. Sherbet was considered a delicacy, and it and other refined drinks were mentioned in detail by a number of travelers."
- "All the dealers would steam into his cabin for a few sherbets after work, and to listen to his bollocks."
Etymology
Etymology tree Arabic شَرِبَ (šariba)der. Arabic شَرْبَة (šarba)bor. Classical Persian شَرْبَت (šarbat)bor. Ottoman Turkish شربت (şerbet)bor. English sherbet Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish شربت (şerbet), borrowed from Classical Persian شَرْبَت (šarbat), borrowed from Arabic شَرْبَة (šarba), from شَرِبَ (šariba). Doublet of sorbet and sharbat, related to syrup.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈʃɝ.bət/
- British English: /ˈʃɜː.bət/
Usage
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Australian usage
- British usage
- Slang
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
sherbet dabs
sherbet fountain
sherbet straw