malvoisie

English

Alternative forms

• malvesie, malvesey

Etymology

From Middle English malvesye, malvesyn, from Anglo-Norman malvesey, malvoisin and Middle French malvoisie (which the modern form is influenced by), from Italian malvasia, from Ancient Greek Μονεμβασία (Monembasía, “Monemvasia”, a city on the Peloponnese), from μόνος (mónos, “only one”) + ἔμβασις (émbasis, “entering into”, ἐν + βάσις). Doublet of Monemvasia. Compare malmsey.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmalvɔɪzɪ/, /ˌmalvɔɪˈziː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌmɑlˌvwɑˈzi/
• Rhymes: -iː

Noun

malvoisie (countable and uncountable, plural malvoisies)

1. Synonym of malmsey (“wine”)
   • 1852, The Royalist and the Republican, volume 1, page 108:

     Now this Malvoisie has a body, and slips down the red lane with an unctuous savour; […]

   • 1991, Stephen Fry, chapter XIV, in Liar:

     Adrian stood and refilled Shelagh's glass. ‘A little more malvoisie for you?’

   • 2011, Thomas Penn, Winter King, Penguin, published 2012, page 217:

     There, gifts were exchanged […] and Philip's mistrels performed in front of the king's mother who sat, appreciative, her customary glass of malvesey to hand.