Standard Lemma guide

speakeasy

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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1

noun

Meaning 1

An illegal saloon or tavern, especially one operated during the American Prohibition period in the 1920s.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blind pig, blind tiger

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

(during prohibition) an illegal barroom

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: barroom, bar, saloon, ginmill, taproom

History

Etymology

Deverbal from speak easy (= speak quietly [interj.]); for the history, see Wikipedia at speakeasy § Etymology.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: контрабандна кръчма (kontrabandna krǎčma) — illegal saloon operated during the Prohibition period
  • Chinese Mandarin: 美國非法地下酒吧 /美国非法地下酒吧 (Měiguó fēifǎ dìxià jiǔbā) — illegal saloon operated during the Prohibition period
  • Danish: smugkro — illegal saloon operated during the Prohibition period
  • Finnish: salakapakka — illegal saloon operated during the Prohibition period
  • Japanese: スピークイージー (supīkuījī) — illegal saloon operated during the Prohibition period
  • Spanish: bar ilícito — illegal saloon operated during the Prohibition period
  • Spanish: taberna clandestina — illegal saloon operated during the Prohibition period
  • Swedish: lönnkrog — illegal saloon operated during the Prohibition period