usque

U1S1Q10U1E1
/ˈʌskweɪ/

noun

whisky

OriginEnglish usquebaugh ← Scottish Gaelic uisge-beatha ← Medieval Latin aqua vītae →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounusque (countable and uncountable, plural usques)

plural usques

  1. countableobsoleteuncountablewhisky

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*wódr̥
  3. Proto-Celtic*udenskyos
  4. Old Irishuisce
  5. Irishuisce
  6. Proto-Indo-European*gʷeyh₃-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*gʷih₃wós
  8. Proto-Celtic*biwos
  9. Proto-Celtic*biwotūts
  10. Old Irishbethu
  11. Irishbeatha
  12. Medieval Latinaqua vītae
  13. Irishuisce beatha
  14. Old Irishuisce
  15. Scottish Gaelicuisge
  16. Old Irishbethu
  17. Scottish Gaelicbeatha
  18. Medieval Latinaqua vītae
  19. Scottish Gaelicuisge-beatha
  20. Englishusquebaugh
  21. Englishusque

Abbreviation of usquebaugh, from Irish uisce beatha (“water of life”) and Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha (“water of life”). Compare whisky and obsolete whiskybae.

More words from Irish, Scottish Gaelic

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

usque. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/usque

MLA

“usque.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/usque. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “usque,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/usque.

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