Standard Lemma guide

malmsey

noun · 2 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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  • UK: /ˈmɑːmzɪ/
  • US: /ˈmɑ(l)mzi/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A sweet fortified wine made in Madeira, originally from the malvasia grape.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: malvoisie

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

sweet Madeira wine

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: Madeira

History

Etymology

Via Middle English malmesye from Middle Dutch malemeseye, from Italian via Old French, ultimately from Ancient Greek Μονεμβασία (Monembasía, “Monemvasia”, a city on the Peloponnese), from μόνος (mónos, “only one”) + ἔμβασις (émbasis, “entering into”, ἐν- + βάσις). Doublet of malvoisie.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 馬姆齊甜酒 /马姆齐甜酒 (mǎmǔqí tiánjiǔ) — wine made from malvasia
  • Czech: malvaz — wine made from malvasia
  • Finnish: Malvasia — wine made from malvasia
  • Finnish: Malvasia-viini — wine made from malvasia
  • French: malvoisie — wine made from malvasia
  • German: Malvasier — wine made from malvasia
  • Italian: malvasia — wine made from malvasia
  • Middle English: malmesye — wine made from malvasia
  • Middle English: malvesye — wine made from malvasia
  • Polish: małmazja — wine made from malvasia
  • Portuguese: malvasia — wine made from malvasia
  • Russian: мальва́зия (malʹvázija) — wine made from malvasia
  • Serbo-Croatian: ма̀лва̄зија — wine made from malvasia
  • Serbo-Croatian: màlvāzija — wine made from malvasia
  • Spanish: malvasía — wine made from malvasia
  • Ukrainian: мальва́зія (malʹvázija) — wine made from malvasia