# alcoholic

Pronunciation: US say "al-kuh-HAW-lik" /ˌæl.kəˈhɔ.lɪk/; UK say "al-kuh-HOL-ik" /ˌæl.kəˈhɒl.ɪk/

## Noun

1. A person who is addicted to alcohol and cannot easily stop drinking.
   - Simple: A person who cannot stop drinking alcohol and is harmed by it.
   - _After losing his job, he finally sought treatment as a recovering alcoholic._
   - _The clinic specializes in helping alcoholics rebuild their lives._
5. A person who abuses alcohol by drinking to harmful excess.
   - Simple: Someone who regularly drinks too much alcohol in a harmful way.
   - _The counselor described patterns common among alcoholics who deny their problem._
   - _As an alcoholic, he spent most of his paycheck on liquor._

## Adjective

2. Containing more than a trace amount of alcohol.
   - Simple: Containing enough alcohol to count, like beer or wine.
   - _The menu clearly separates the alcoholic beverages from the juices and sodas._
   - _Many alcoholic ciders contain around five percent alcohol by volume._
3. Relating to alcoholism, or caused by and affected by it.
   - Simple: Caused by or linked to long-term alcohol addiction.
   - _The patient was admitted with alcoholic hepatitis after years of drinking._
   - _Doctors documented the alcoholic damage to his liver and pancreas._
4. Relating to alcohol or involving it as a substance.
   - Simple: Having to do with alcohol or made using it.
   - _Yeast carries out the alcoholic fermentation used in brewing._
   - _The chemist examined the alcoholic solution under the microscope._

## Origin

First attested in 1891, formed from "alcohol" combined with the suffix "-ic".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/alcoholic (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).