vino
C1Informal, colloquial, slang.
Definition
Meaning
Wine, specifically as a colloquial or informal term.
A casual, often jocular term for wine, sometimes used to denote inexpensive or everyday wine. In certain contexts (e.g., military slang, 'vino' can refer to any alcoholic drink).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
'Vino' is a borrowing from Italian/Spanish, used in English for a familiar, relaxed, or sometimes humorous effect. It lacks the formal or sophisticated connotations of the standard term 'wine'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is similar, though perhaps slightly more established in American English due to greater exposure to Spanish. In the UK, it may be perceived as more consciously informal or 'laddish'.
Connotations
Conveys a sense of casual consumption, affordability, and lack of pretension. Can imply quantity over quality.
Frequency
Low frequency overall. Most common in informal spoken contexts, within specific social groups, or in humorous writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have a [glass/bottle] of vinofancy some vino?bring the vinoon the vinoVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the vino (drinking wine heavily)”
- “vino veritas (a playful twist on 'in vino veritas')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Virtually never used.
Everyday
Informal social situations among friends. 'Shall we open a bottle of vino?'
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- Fancy a bit of vino after work?
- He's been on the vino again.
- They served a surprisingly drinkable vino.
American English
- Let's pick up some vino for the party.
- This cheap vino is actually okay.
- He's a real vino enthusiast, but not a snob about it.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We drank vino with our pizza.
- I prefer red vino.
- He brought a couple of bottles of cheap Italian vino to the barbecue.
- After a long week, she just wanted to relax with a glass of vino.
- Their conversation, lubricated by plentiful vino, turned to more philosophical matters.
- The restaurant's house vino was a perfectly acceptable Chianti.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
VINO sounds like the end of 'vintage' but is short and punchy like the drink it describes.
Conceptual Metaphor
WINE IS A CASUAL FRIEND (vs. WINE IS A SOPHISTICATED GUEST).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend with Russian 'вино' (vino), which is the standard, neutral word for wine. English 'vino' is exclusively informal/slang.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'vino' in formal writing or contexts where 'wine' is required.
- Overusing it, making speech sound affected.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'vino' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is a colloquialism or slang term borrowed from Italian/Spanish. It is not the standard, neutral word, which is 'wine'.
You can, in a very informal pub or casual eatery when speaking to friends (e.g., 'Shall we get a jug of the house vino?'). It would be inappropriate when speaking formally to a sommelier or in a fine-dining setting.
Both are informal for cheap wine. 'Plonk' is a British-origin slang word with a stronger implication of very low quality. 'Vino' is slightly more neutral and can sometimes just mean wine casually, not necessarily terrible wine.
It is generally treated as uncountable (like 'wine'). You might hear 'vinos' very rarely in jocular use, but it's non-standard.