Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A sparkling white wine made from a blend of grapes, especially Chardonnay and Pinot, produced in Champagne.
  • noun A similar sparkling wine made elsewhere.
  • noun A pale orange yellow to grayish yellow or yellowish gray.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The effervescent or so-called sparkling wine made within the limits of the old province of Champagne in northeastern France, chiefly in the region about Reims, Épernay, Avize, Ay, and Pierry, in the department of Marne.
  • noun Effervescent wine, wherever made: as, Swiss champagne; California champagne.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A light wine, of several kinds, originally made in the province of Champagne, in France.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable A sparkling white wine made from a blend of grapes, especially Chardonnay and pinot, produced in Champagne by the méthode champenoise; (countable) any variety of champagne.
  • noun countable A glass of champagne.
  • noun informal Any sparkling white wine.
  • noun A very pale brownish-gold colour, similar to that of champagne.
  • adjective Of a very pale brownish-gold color, similar to that of champagne.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a white sparkling wine either produced in Champagne or resembling that produced there
  • noun a region of northeastern France

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French, short for (vin de) Champagne, (wine from) Champagne, from Late Latin campānia, flat open country; see campaign.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French champagne.

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Examples

  • You have heard the term champagne socialism, well this is it.

    New Labour piggies: Labour couple Alan and Ann Keen claim £313,714 (on top of their £61,000 salaries) FIDO The Dog 2009

  • People still feel that for really special occasions, the wine must have the word "champagne" on the label.

    Cheers! English wine challenges champagne with sparkling results 2011

  • “From time to time,” says Dr. Brandes, “there came over her what she calls her champagne-mood; she grieves that this is no longer the case with him.”

    Little Eyolf 2008

  • “From time to time,” says Dr. Brandes, “there came over her what she calls her champagne-mood; she grieves that this is no longer the case with him.”

    Little Eyolf 2008

  • Perhaps, when safely married, Susan would ask her to one of the family dinners, with a glassful of foam which she called champagne, and the leg of a crow which she called game from the shooting-lodge ....

    Miss Mapp 1903

  • "From time to time," says Dr. Brandes, "there came over her what she calls her champagne-mood; she grieves that this is no longer the case with him."

    Little Eyolf Henrik Ibsen 1867

  • As far back as 1887 the Court of Angers, the appeal court, ruled in favour of wine growers in Champagne, decreeing that the name champagne "referred simultaneously to the place and methods of production of certain wines specifically denoted by that name and by no other."

    Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2011

  • Sadly, he neglected to say whether this “light and vertical” subclass of things de luxe could explain how speakers of English came to use shampoo as a slang word for champagne.4

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

  • Sadly, he neglected to say whether this “light and vertical” subclass of things de luxe could explain how speakers of English came to use shampoo as a slang word for champagne.4

    The English Is Coming! Leslie Dunton-Downer 2010

  • This mildly alcoholic sparkling beverage, sold in champagne-like bottles, is popular for toasts at weddings and holidays.

    September in the Mexican sierra: an abundance of apples 2009

Comments

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  • it sounds so much better than it is.

    November 12, 2007

  • You don't like champagne? I do.

    November 12, 2007

  • I concur, champagnesque. But why the nickname, then? :-)

    November 12, 2007

  • It might sounds better than it is, but really, it sounds so pretty- who can resist?

    February 25, 2008

  • Zapp Brannigan: Want the rest of the shampagan?

    Leela: It's pronounced champagne.

    May 15, 2008