ratafia

R1A1T1A1F4I1A1
/ˌɹætəˈfiːə/

noun

A liqueur or cordial flavored with peach or cherry kernels, bitter almonds, or other fruits.

Scrabble 10

Meanings

nounratafia (countable and uncountable, plural ratafias)

plural ratafias

  1. countableuncountableA liqueur or cordial flavored with peach or cherry kernels, bitter almonds, or other fruits.

    Steeped cucumber ratafia with Pimm's and Sprite is garnished with a squash blossom at T'afia in Houston.

    2007 August 29, Pete Wells, “Bottling the Bounty of the Season”, in New York Times
    1 more example

    “Stop that there infernal screeching!” said a couple of ladies, who were sipping ratafia in company with two pretty fellows.

    1839, William Makepeace Thackeray, Catherine: A Story
  2. countableA kind of biscuit made with ratafia essence and almond or apricot kernels.
    1 more example

    Mrs. Chaloner ordered wine-biscuits and olives, and gave Mr. Freely to understand that she should find his shop a great convenience. So did the doctor’s wife, and so did Mrs. Gate, at the large carding-mill, who, having high connexions frequently visiting her, might be expected to have a large consumption of ratafias and macaroons.

    1864, George Eliot, chapter II, in Brother Jacob

    Synonyms: ratafia biscuit

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA kind of biscuit made with ratafia essence and almond or apricot kernels.

More synonyms by meaning

nounsweet liqueur made from wine and brandy flavored with plum or peach or apricot kernels and bitter almonds

Similar

nounmacaroon flavored with ratafia liqueur

Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchratafia
  2. Englishratafia

Borrowed from Creole French ratafia, from the Latin phrase rata fiat (conventio) (“the deal is made”), a drinking toast expression to celebrate a deal or an agreement. Or, sharing an Arabic origin with arak.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian ратафия, рашафия
  • ратафия (ratafija)liqueur
  • рашафия (rašafija)liqueur
Catalan ratafia
  • ratafialiqueur
Czech ratafia
  • ratafialiqueur
French ratafia
  • ratafialiqueur
Italian ratafià
  • ratafiàliqueur
Polish ratafia
  • ratafialiqueur
Portuguese ratafia
  • ratafialiqueur
Spanish ratafía
  • ratafíaliqueur
Yiddish נאַליווקע, מאַנדל־⁠ליקער
  • נאַליווקע (nalivke)liqueur
  • מאַנדל־⁠ליקערliqueur

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with ratafia

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

ratafia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ratafia

MLA

“ratafia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ratafia. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ratafia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ratafia.

Source: ratafia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.