Standard Lemma guide

horchata

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /(h)ɔːɹˈt͡ʃɑːtə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A sweet beverage variously made with rice, chufa or morro seeds (or, historically, barley), water, sugar, and cinnamon, and sometimes with milk.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish horchata, ultimately from Vulgar Latin *hordeata (“(drink, food) made of barley”), from hordeum (“barley”), either via Catalan/Valencian orxata (possibly via a Mozarabic source), or via Italian orzata. Doublet of orgeat (“almond syrup”) and orzo (“barley-shaped pasta”).

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Basque: hortxata — sweet beverage
  • Catalan: orxata — sweet beverage
  • Dutch: orgeade — sweet beverage
  • French: orgeat — sweet beverage
  • French: orgeade — sweet beverage
  • Hindi: ओर्चाता (orcātā) — sweet beverage
  • Japanese: オルチャータ — sweet beverage
  • Polish: horchata — sweet beverage
  • Spanish: horchata — sweet beverage
  • Sranan Tongo: orsyadu — sweet beverage